Saving Them One At A Time The Rest Of The Story
by Piscean6724
Summary: Must read "Saving Them One At A Time" before reading this story. This story is composed of subsequent chapters but require an "M" rating. Warning: Sexual Content, Graphic Language & Child Abuse Themes.
1. Chapter 1

All Emergency! characters belong to Mark VII and Universal Studios.

STOAAT 5

Chapter 5

B shift came on the following morning and fortunately, both the paramedic replacements arrived a few minutes early.

"I'll be at your place in less than an hour, Johnny" Roy called as he got into his blue Chevrolet pick-up truck.

"Alright, thanks, Roy…..see ya then" and with that Johnny cranked up his white Land Rover and backed out of the parking space. He had to get the money before he went home.

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Joanne just smiled as she watched Roy pack his bags for an impromptu camping trip with Johnny.

"Help him screw his head back on, sweetheart." Joanne flashed her husband a knowing smile.

" I don't know what he'd do without you." Roy just grinned as he gave her a lingering kiss.

"And I don't know what I'd do without you," he crooned, kissing her lightly a couple of times more before walking out the door.

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Johnny tucked the envelope inside the glove compartment of his Rover. He was nervous but determined. He'd share only what he had to with Roy until this was over. Roy would understand wouldn't he? After all, he was a family man with strong convictions. Surely, he'd understand. He had to understand….or this whole thing could go horribly wrong.

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Jess sat watching her sleep in his bed. His mind carried him to places he desperately wanted to go and those thoughts aroused him more than he thought possible. He let her sleep several hours while he began the preparations. He packed her a small bag; just some basic toiletries and a change of clothing. Oh yea, and he made sure he put that damn macrome purse in the bag as well. Some guys got nervous thinking his "ladies" were underage. If Coleman wanted proof that this one was legal then he'd have it. He couldn't help the cold grin that spread across his face as he thought about his good fortune with this one; she came with her own ID. Then it was time to prepare her.

He could tell by her eyes that she was totally unconscious. That was alright with him. He had so gently laid her on his bed last night and let her sleep in peace. Now, it was time. Slowly, he carefully unbuttoned her navy blue blouse and opened it up to reveal her silky white bra – all that stood between him and her soft youthful breasts. She wasn't a large breasted girl and that was fine with him. He pulled the blouse over her shoulders and out from underneath her. Her abdomen was so flat. He couldn't help himself; he caressed it as he reached down to unzip her shorts. Pulling them over first her hips and then her knees, he laid them alongside her blouse on the chair next to his bed. God, he wanted to take her himself right here and now….but he couldn't, not yet. He gently removed both her panties and her bra then leaned back looking down at this beautiful specimen of womanhood, lying naked on his bed. He felt his crotch tighten just at the sight of her and had to shift his position in order to regain some measure of comfort for himself.

He stepped into his bathroom and began to run a tubful of warm water. He had to make sure she was clean and freshly shaven with silky, shinning hair. He returned to the bedroom to find her head moving slightly and her eyes fluttering. He watched as her lips parted slighted and heard a soft moan escape.

"Damn it!" He grunted and hastily pulled open the bottom drawer of his nightstand. He retrieved a dark green unmarked glass bottle with a black dropper. He squeezed the little bulb as he unscrewed it and reached over to squeeze the contents between her lips. Using his free hand he gently closed her mouth so that none of it escaped and watched her throat to ensure she consumed the liquid completely. After only a moment he saw the slight movement of her throat and knew that she had swallowed the liquid that had begun to tickle the back of her throat. That would keep her out for a few more hours; long enough to reach their destination.

He took his time as he cradled her gently to his chest and then lowered her down into the warm water. It wasn't easy but he managed to hold her in place as he let the water run over her hair.

_Oh God, warm water was flooding her again. Darkness was surrounding her and no matter how hard she tried she couldn't move. The water was rising now and she could feel the waves washing over her. The rain mixed in with the splashing waves drenched her hair leaving it sticking to her face and neck. She would drown for sure. 'Daddy, where are you?' she pleaded into the night. 'Daddy, I'm so scared. Help me, Daddy, please help me!' The wind roared louder and she felt a hand on her shoulder. 'Sis, is that you?' Yes, it was Sarah-Beth holding onto the rooftop with her. 'Sis, where's Daddy? I want my Daddy?' She cried into the night but the howl of the wind and the relentless battering of the angry water drowned her anguished cries. Tiny pieces of debris were hurled like projectiles in the wind and she sank down on what was left of the roof to block the stinging artillery. Sarah-Beth lay beside her trying to calm her and protect her as best she could. Daddy had gone back into the attic to get their mother but he hadn't come back out yet. Neither of them had. Her breath caught in her throat as she could taste the sea water forcing its way into her lungs and stomach. And then nothing but darkness again. The nightmare retreated to its hiding place somewhere deep inside her soul. _

Slowly, he lathered up her hair with Strawberry scented shampoo and then gently washed away the residue. He leaned her back against the edge of the tub and taking a soft luffa sponge he began caressing her body with it. His fingers trembled as they moved across her body as though she were a rare and delicate flower. The luffa was filled with a vanilla scented shower gel and it invaded his senses as he rubbed it over her entire body. Her nipples were so beautiful as they stood erect underneath his touch – peeking up through the lather. He then picked up a fresh razor and beginning with her armpits he began shaving her being careful not to damage her soft delicate skin. While completing this part of her grooming, he confirmed what he had been suspecting. A smile spread across his face. He rinsed her, dried her off and lotioned her entire body while constantly having to adjust his pants. She was so sexy he almost exploded.

_Damn, Jess, get_ _it together_, he thought.

He then dressed her in a satin pink bra and panty set. The Kelly green blouse and short denim skirt he had recently bought for this occasion would really accentuate her green eyes and her long silky smooth legs. Her feet hung slightly off the edge of his bed; the perfect position for him to paint her toenails. Yes, everything had to be perfect- from her silky tresses to her hot pink toenails.

While her toenails dried he blew dry her chestnut locks and then brushed them back holding them in place with a black and green headband. He carefully applied make-up to her already perfect face. It was hard to do anything to make her more beautiful but at least it made her look a little older. Finally, he buckled her black strappy sandals and stood back to gaze at his trophy. Perfect, absolutely perfect. He knew that the man he knew only as Coleman would agree that she was worth every penny.

He left her lying there while he took her bag to his car. Thank goodness his back door was completely hidden from his neighbor's view by a privacy fence or he might have been seen. No one saw him carry her limp form to his car. He had parked it as close as he could to his back door; only two steps away. He laid back the passenger seat and lowered her into it. He put sunglasses on her face so that if anyone saw them she'd look like she was just resting before a big day…and it would be a big day. Slowly, he backed out and headed for the rendezvous point.

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The drive took at least an hour and they rode in relative silence. Roy didn't want to push Johnny. He knew that Johnny would tell him in due time but he could see that his partner was struggling with just how to say what was on his mind.

"Roy, you trust me right?"

Roy wanted to roll his eyes but his partner's obvious difficulty made him answer with a simple "yes".

Johnny never took his eyes off the road. He drove with his left elbow on the edge of the rolled down window allowing the wind to further tousel his mussed up hair. "Then please, Roy, I'm begging you to understand. No matter what you hear me say or agree to, just go with it ok? But, you've got to stay out of sight. The agreement was just for me alone. Remember, stay hidden in the tent no matter what you hear. If something goes wrong then I'll shout '51' ok? That'll be the signal for help."

Johnny, held the steering wheel with his left index finger and thumb while he ran his right hand through his hair a couple of times. He then let his hand rest momentarily along his upper lip; a habit Roy knew all too well. Johnny was worried, perhaps more so than Roy had ever seen.

They reached the camp site; one Roy had never visited before; and hurriedly set up the tent. They were in such an isolated place that Roy didn't know if he could even figure out how to get out of here to go for help. He quickly shook that thought from his mind. He couldn't dwell on "what if's". His partner was in some kind of trouble and Roy wanted to help him dig his way out.

Once the tent was set up and their gear was unloaded from the back of the Rover, Johnny set about building a fire. He kept nervously looking at his watch which made Roy automatically look at his as well. It was now 10:45 am, what was Johnny waiting on that had him so anxious?

Five minutes later with the fire slowly coming to life, Johnny looked pleadingly at Roy.

"Roy, remember what I said before?"

"Yea, Johnny, I remember"

"Well, please go on inside the tent and just wait. I'll come in when it's all clear. Please, Roy…please don't come out or make any noise no matter what you hear going on out here. If I yell '51' then look inside my backpack in the very bottom." He exhaled, then continued.

"Roy, there's a pistol in there and it's loaded. The safety is on so if you have to use it just click the tiny red button, alright?"

Roy couldn't believe what he was hearing. He was almost too shocked to move but somehow he gathered up enough strength to move his lead feet towards the tent. He looked back at Johnny for only a moment and saw his junior partner standing with both hands on his hips staring into the smoldering fire pit. Without a word, he turned and entered the tent making sure the flap was closed behind him.


	2. Chapter 2

Warning: graphic language and sexual content

STOAAT

Chapter 6

The rust colored sedan made four turns onto winding dirt roads ascending and descending as it navigated the terrain. Jess was careful to make sure he wasn't being followed. In fact, if any vehicle, other than Coleman's was up here then its driver had to be lost. Finally, he saw the pink ribbon he had placed strategically on a low hanging limb to guide Coleman to the meeting spot. It was another half mile back into the woods before he drove into a small clearing where a tall dark-haired man was squatting down near a fire pit. He stood at the sound of Jess's car and walked over to his own vehicle. He reached inside the white Land Rover and retrieved a small manila envelope. As Jess shifted into park, Johnny sauntered over to the passenger's side of Jess's car and opened the door. It took every ounce of strength he had not to gasp at what he saw.

"Coleman?" Jess asked quizzically.

"Yea….Shit, man what's she on?" He asked Jess.

"Hey, I had to get her up here somehow, didn't I? Don't worry, you're paying for 36 hours and she'll be awake soon. You'll have plenty of time to have your fun" retorted Jess.

Roy's ears perked up as he brought his clenched fist to his mouth.

_Johnny_, w_hat the hell are you involved in? Who is this 'she'? _

Roy was growing more and more unnerved as the conversation continued. He closed his eyes in disbelief. He wanted to run; to grab John and shake some sense into him. But what he heard next made him nearly vomit.

"She better, I'm not payin' to fuck a corpse." Johnny spoke harshly, amazed at his own crudeness.

"She should wake up in a couple of hours at the most; this ain't my first rodeo, Coleman" said Jess.

"Think she'll know why she's here? " asked Johnny with a twinkle in his eye.

Jess sneered, "Hell, no, she'll have no idea why she's here but she's a bright girl, she'll figure it out fast ….and she's pretty easy to scare into compliance too," he said thinking back to his first encounter with her.

Roy leaned over placing his hands on his knees and taking in slow deliberate breaths trying to halt the churning in his gut.

"I got the money here but I want to make sure…she's a virgin, right?" quizzed Johnny.

"As pure as snow, Mr. Coleman, as pure as snow," said Jess.

"Well", Johnny released a somewhat sinister lopsided grin, "Snow White, your castle awaits," he said and gestured towards the tent while his eyes took in the full length of her sleeping form.

"Hold on, Prince Charming," Jess said holding up his hand. I'm gonna count the dough before you try to revive her with a kiss…or whatever," Jess snickered.

"Of course," he said. "It's all there. Some larges and some smalls just like you wanted," Johnny paused, the paramedic in him trying to count her respirations while Jess counted out the bills. Satisfied, he put it back in the envelope and motioned toward the girl. "She's all yours, man" Jess announced.

Roy's stomach lurched and he prayed he wouldn't puke inside the tent. How could Johnny do this? And why had he allowed Roy to become involved? "Oh sweet Jesus," he mouthed without making a sound. He bowed his head and closed his eyes as beads of sweat popped out on his forehead.

"Alright, now where's the drop-off point?" asked Johnny.

"Up the road here about ¼ mile there's a narrow trail on the left. You can't miss it. Go down that trail about 50 yards and you'll see a small shack like a tool shed. It's wooden and looks old but trust me it's secure. There's a pad lock on the door but it isn't locked. I have the key so when you're done just put her in there and lock her up. I'll be back out here to get her after your time is up."

Johnny nodded in agreement, "Works for me".

Johnny chuckled and continued, "perhaps we can do business again sometime."

"Works for me," Jess replayed Johnny's own words back to him. "Here's her bag so she can 'freshen' up for you if you'd like," he said with a wink.

Johnny took the bag and tossed it toward the tent making Roy jump and open his eyes as it landed near him. With that, Johnny scooped her up in his arms and used his hip to shut the door. Jess cranked the car back up and slipped it into drive. Johnny lingered a few moments to make sure he was leaving before he ducked and entered the tent with his purchase lying limp in his arms.

Roy stood seething and trembling all over as Johnny entered the tent. Disgust cloaked him as hot bile made its way up his esophagus. Johnny walked in without making eye contact and gently laid her down on his sleeping bag. He didn't notice Roy clenching and unclenching his fists trying to decide whether to punch him or kick him.

"Grab her bag will ya, Roy?"

Roy couldn't move. He wouldn't take part in this in any way and somehow he had to make sure Johnny didn't either. He couldn't do anything but glare at Johnny as sweat began to run in rivulets down his face. John reached for her neck to check her carotid pulse and then realized that Roy was still standing there. Slowly looking up, he met Roy's eyes and for a split second thought he needed to dodge a blow.

"Roy," he raised his voice, "for God's sake none of what you heard out there is true. I'd never hurt this girl. I'm trying to help her. Now please help me by getting her bag."

"No" was the only response he got from Roy; the word forced out through clenched teeth.

"Roy, listen to me. I'm the other A shift paramedic at Los Angeles County Fire Department Station 51. I am your partner and best friend. I am not some sick bastard who preys on young girls. I am trying to save her from those psychos. This was all a setup, Roy. It was staged, alright?"

Johnny, still kneeling beside the unconscious girl, was more than a little leery of moving; still unsure of what his partner's next move might be. But he needed to get busy so as soon as he saw Roy's fists relax a little he eased himself back on his heels and stood up. He backed his way out of the opening of the tent and retrieved her bag. Rummaging through it, he found a student ID from the University of Southern California. The picture looked like it could be hers but he wasn't sure. She looked so different lying here wearing heavy make-up. He read the name on the badge: Sarah Elizabeth Mooring. At least he had a name now.

Roy was leaning over the ice chest trying to steady himself as he sat down.

"Roy, are you alright?" Johnny asked. "You look a little green."

"Yea, well, this isn't turning out at all like I expected. " Roy stated softly.

"Hey, I need my partner's help with this girl alright? You up to it?" Johnny's eyes were pleading with his partner.

"Oh, um….yea, wa… what do you need, Johnny?"

Grab a cloth and wet it with ice water. We got to try to wake her up. Her pulse is only 56 and her respirations are about 11 so she's still pretty sedated . I have no idea what he drugged her with and that scares me."

Complying with this request, Roy stood and opened his bag. He retrieved a wash cloth and dipped it into the ice chest. Wringing out the excess water, he could feel the tiny pieces of ice that were stuck to the cloth. "This ought to help wake her up" he said passing it to his partner.

Roy laid his hand on her abdomen to count her respirations as Johnny folded the cold cloth and laid it across her brow. Roy thought he felt her jump ever so slightly when the icy cloth made contact with her forehead.

"Sarah, Sarah can you hear me?" asked Johnny while gently shaking her shoulder.

_The wind was dying down and the dawning sun was just making its presence known. Someone was gently shaking her shoulder. "Hey, wake-up", a raspy voice called to her. _

_She turned her head slightly and through tear-swollen eyes she saw the bruised face of her sister. "Sarah-Beth?" She didn't recognize her own voice. She thought it sounded more like a frog talking._

"_Yea, it's me," came the soft reply._

"_Sarah-Beth, where's Momma and Daddy? Where are they?" she cried ignoring the pain in her throat. Her sister just looked at her through teary eyes and shook her head slowly from left to right. She never heard Sarah-Beth's response. All she heard was her own frail voice repeating in a whisper "no…no…no."_

"Hey Roy," Johnny called, "My BP cuff and stethoscope are in my blue bag over there."

Roy reached inside and found the items Johnny needed. Swiftly, Johnny wrapped the cuff around her upper arm and began pumping it up. As it tightened, she released a very weak soft moan, as she turned her head away from Johnny.

"Come on, Sarah, you can do it." Roy encouraged still shaking her shoulder. "You're safe now. It's all over. You're gonna be alright."

"_You're gonna be alright, sweetie," she could hear a man saying as she felt a big hand grasping her upper arms gently but firmly. She looked up as he lifted her into his secure embrace. She was too tired to even hold onto him but he was holding on to her. She felt a blanket being draped over her as her head rested on the man's shoulder and her eyelids drooped protecting her young eyes from the horror that surrounded her. She was weak, very weak but she was alive and so was her sister. She could hear another man's voice but couldn't make out what he was saying. It didn't matter because she could hear her sister's warm voice telling the other man their story. She felt herself being lowered into a vessel of some kind. It rocked only slightly; not like the rooftop she'd spent last night on. Callused hands stroked her hair and rubbed her back in a soothing tempo. He continued to whisper into her tiny ear, "You're gonna be alright, sweetie. It's all over. You're gonna be alright."_

John didn't see Roy's look of concern but he could hear it in his voice as he said, "Johnny, we need to get her to a hospital. She needs more than what we can do for her here."

"Not yet, Roy. We can't leave yet." Gage ran his hand through his hair and drew in a deep breath. He held it for a moment before exhaling and continuing his explanation.

"Just give her a little more time to wake up, ok?" he said as he continued to shake her shoulder and repeat her name. "Sarah, it's alright now. You're gonna be alright."

Roy took her wrist between his thumb and middle fingers; hoping he would feel a faster rhythm this time. He counted as the second hand on his watch ticked for 15 seconds. The number this time was 16. He let out a little sigh. "Pulse is up to 64; that's a good sign."

Johnny just looked at him and grinned. He lifted the warm cloth off her forehead and dipped it back into the icy water in the ice chest. He twisted it to remove the excess water and then folded it back across her brow. Again, Roy lightly touched her abdomen to check her respirations and to see if she responded to the discomfort of the cold cloth as it touched her skin. This time, her response was audible; weak but definitely audible. The pace of her breathing quickened and in less than a minute he looked up at Johnny and smiled "14, Johnny. It's up to 14".

John and Roy both continued to alternate calling her name while squeezing her hands and gently shaking her shoulders; anything to help stimulate her and improve her level of consciousness. Roy's knees ached from crouching so long without moving. He stood to stretch his legs and decided to get some fresh air. "Johnny, I'm gonna check the fire pit. Don't need to be the cause of a forest fire," he joked. "I'll be right back ok?"

"Yea, ok...umm, Roy, please make sure you aren't seen ok? We're too close now."

"Too close to what, Johnny? Besides, who would see me out here in the middle of nowhere?" He asked; his voice beginning to sound perturbed.

"Well, the guy who dropped her off...we're close to catching that son of a bitch and I don't want to screw it up." Johnny answered still rubbing her arms and squeezing her hands.

"Johnny, he's gone. I mean, I heard the car drive off before you ever brought her in here," Roy's aggrevated tone was unmistakeable.

"I know, I know" Johnny repeated hanging his head, "I'm just ...scared that's all."

"Well, I'm not feeling all warm and fuzzy right now either, partner," Roy commented then turned and walked out of the tent.

Jess pulled off the road and slammed the car in park. Had he given her too much in that dropper back at his house? What if she didn't wake up when she was supposed to? What if this new customer was disappointed in his purchase? This guy had money, obviously, and Jess needed a few new very happy customers. He puffed on one cigarette after another until he had finished the pack he had just bought yesterday. Internally, he was arguing with himself. Should he return to the scene to make sure she had awakened? If she didn't should he offer Coleman a refund and try to reschedule? "Damn it all to hell!" he screamed while slamming his hand against the steering wheel. He had to go back. He had to know that this was working out ok. He shifted his car back into drive and spun out making a u-turn and heading back to the secluded camp site.

Roy stoked the fire mindlessly while his thoughts wandered back to his family. How would he explain all this to Joanne? He had no idea; he didn't even understand it himself and Johnny sure as hell wasn't explaining very much to him. He placed another couple of pieces of wood on the fire and then rose to head back into the tent and continue efforts to wake up this young lady and face whatever demons she brought with her to this tranquil location. He stuck his head in and saw Johnny still leaning over her still form; still calling her name and holding her hand. He started to enter to take a shift and allow Johnny a break but decided he wasn't quite ready to face this issue. His nerves were still reeling from the events of the last hour and he needed another few minutes to clear his thoughts. "Hey John, mind if I walk down to the creek for a couple of minutes? I...um...I need a little fresh air...smoky out here."

"That's fine, Roy. She's still out but her BP is up a little, so...maybe she'll come out of it soon," John said in a voice softer than Roy had heard him use in years.

_Yea, and then what_...Roy thought to himself as he exited the tent.

John looked at his watch. It was only 11:48 am. She'd been here less than an hour but it seemed like an eternity. Johnny again used the icy cloth but not to cool her forehead. This time he folded the cloth lengthwise and used it to cradle the side of her face from her temple to her jawline; pressing the ice chips into her unsuspecting skin. She instinctively turned her head away from the painful stimulus and that's when he saw it. Her eyes began to flutter as she left the depths of darkness and clawed her way back to consciousness.

"Sarah?...Sarah, can you hear me?" Johnny asked while continuing to squeeze her hand.

"Umm," she opened her mouth slightly and then moaned again as her eyes opened. Her vision was blurry but she could see someone with dark hair huddled over her and she heard a man's voice saying "Sarah, sweetie, wake up, please."

Johnny watched her eyes open and he could tell she was trying to focus. She wasn't exactly seeing him but she was trying. Her lips were dry and he knew she must be thirsty. He had no idea how long she had gone without drinking anything. He wisked loose strands of hair from her forehead as he dipped the cloth one more time into the icy water. "Here you go, Sarah. This will help," he said as he laid the cool wet cloth on her parched lips.

Finally, she was able to see him clearly...but who was he? Looking around she realized she had no idea where she was or who this guy was hovering over her. Panic rose into her throat and gripped her lungs stealing her breath. She reached around trying to find some way to move away from him. Her heart leaped and slammed against her chest when he grabbed both of her shoulders.

"Hey, take it easy, sweetie, take it easy...you're safe now. I'm not gonna hurt you, ok?" For a minute her mind raced back to her apartment the night Jess first knocked on her door.

"No," she whispered trying to gather up her strength. She began to frantically shake her head pleading with this stranger, "please, no..."

"Hey, hey, hey, don't be afraid", Johnny said looking into her bright green eyes, "I'm not gonna hurt you. You're gonna be fine, I promise. My name is John Gage and I'm a firefighter paramedic with the Los Angeles County Fire Department. My partner and I have been taking care of you for a little while. Sarah, listen to me, you were drugged and you've been asleep for a long time but that's all over now. You're gonna be fine, alright?"

The information was more than her young mind could comprehend. Thoughts whirled around inside her brain like a late summer hurricane.

_Drugged? How? Who? Where was she? How did she get here? Was this guy for real or was he some crazed maniac? She needed Jess. Where was Jess? _

Confusion, dizziness and anxiety overwhelmed her. She had to get away from this creep. She looked around trying to figure out how to get away. Johnny watched her level of anxiety rise and began feeling helpless. It wasn't an emotion he felt often but he was human after all and this frightened young lady alone with him needed more comfort, consoling and convincing than he thought he had to give her. "Easy, sweetheart, just take it easy. Everything will be alright." _Come back, Roy,...I need your help here, partner..._

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Roy took one last long deep breath and turned away from the creek to head back the fifty or so yards to the tent. If she didn't wake up soon he didn't care what Johnny said, he was going to do whatever it took to get her to a hospital. As he neared the camp site, he thought he heard voices...he picked up his pace hoping she was indeed awake but the sound of an approaching vehicle made him drop to the ground...and hide behind the tent. As much as he wanted to rush into the tent, Johnny's words echoed loudly in his mind...

"_Roy, please make sure you aren't seen ok? We're too close now..."_

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	3. Chapter 3

STOAATTROTS

Chapter 7

Johnny was trying his best to calm her down while silently praying for Roy's hasty return. Roy had always been the better paramedic when it came to dealing with extreme emotions and John really needed his help. He looked into her pretty green eyes noticing that they were wide with fear. His heart broke for her as he continued trying to convince her that no harm would come to her.

The sound of a car door slamming made them both turn their heads toward the opening in the tent.

"Listen Sarah, please, please stay right here and keep quiet. I swear you are safe but you've got to stay in here, ok?" Johnny looked at her pleadingly. He got no response before he heard his alias called.

"Coleman? Everything ok?" Jess had returned just as Johnny had feared. Thoughts gushed into his brain about everything that could go wrong in the next few seconds. He now hoped Roy would stay away until he could convince Jess to leave. And the worst part of all was that Sarah was now awake and he'd already identified himself to her.

_Dear God, what have I done?_

Worst case scenario now was that she'd reveal his identity to Jess who would know immediately that he'd been set up; endangering all of them. He didn't have time to dwell on all that might happen. He had to meet Jess outside the tent and get rid of him.

Holding his index finger to his lips - the unmistakable sign for silence - he mouthed the words, "please stay put." Again, he got no response from her other than a fearful stare. He took one step back toward the opening and then turned and walked out to meet Jess.

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Behind the tent Roy was frozen by fear as he crouched as close as he could to the tent and ground – desperately trying to stay hidden. Had he been seen? Was this guy returning to take Sarah back? Was he dangerous? His thoughts raced to his family. Joanne didn't know the location of their camping trip because he hadn't known their destination when they left. He thought of his kids then…..wondering what they'd do if he never returned. _Damn it, Roy – shake it off. Focus. _He knew he had to pay close attention to what was happening and try to overhear any tidbits of conversation which could be important to them getting out safely.

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Johnny walked out and toward the antsy man who was now standing in front of his car, leaning on the hood and tapping his fingers on his thighs.

"Problem?" Gage asked trying to sound calm and casual.

"Naw, I just wanted to make sure you were satisfied with the girl. Did she wake up yet?" Asked Jess.

"Yea, um, she's just now coming around but I think she'll do nicely. Now if you'll excuse me I have plans," Johnny grinned hoping this guy would take the hint and leave.

Just as Johnny turned around to go back into the tent, the flap was flung open and Sarah bolted out. "Jess? Oh God, Jess help me, help me please!" She screamed while stumbling -more than running -toward Jess.

Johnny instinctively reached to grab her but missed and watched in horror as she collapsed into Jess's arms. Jess grabbed her upper arms and held her out at arm's length. "Honey, honey, it's ok, I promise."

"Oh Jess, he…he kidnapped me or something… I don't know. I just ….I woke up in there and ….and…these aren't even my clothes" she said, the pitch of her voice rising. "Please just take me home, Jess. Please?"

Johnny's heart was pounding like a wild animal trying to get out of a cage. He tried to look at Jess and pretend to be disgusted or something but this hadn't been factored into the planning and he quite honestly didn't know what to do. Jess looked over at him and said "give me just a second alright?"

"Yea, sure…..but I want some kind of compensation for this.. umm…interruption." Johnny said in his best 'annoyed' voice; then stood with his weight on his right leg and both hands on his hips.

She heard what he said but it didn't really register with her as Jess released his hold on her right arm and pulled her beside him as they walked to the driver's side of his car.

"Oh Jess, I'm so glad you found me…..I don't know….."

"Sshhh…Honey." He whispered and began to turn on the water works again; tears got her once before and he knew it would work this time too. "Honey, I'm so so sorry that it has to be done this way but I will be forever grateful to you for doing this for me."

"Wha….Jess, what are you talking about? Let's go, pleeaasseee?" She begged.

"Honey, remember last night when we were at the park and we were talking about how short I am on cash now and you said you'd help me remember?" Jess said so convincingly that he almost believed it himself.

"huh? …No, Jess, no I don't remember anyth….."

"Sshhh, Honey, it'll be fine and I just appreciate you so much for doing this for me?" Jess interrupted.

"Jess….I'm confused….I never said…"

"Please," he begged. "Please don't do this to me! I'm short on money because I've been helping you so much ….food, rent, remember? We talked about this last night and you promised you'd do this for me," and with that the tears began to flow freely.

Johnny unconsciously ran his hand through his hair and exhaled loudly while looking around to see if he saw Roy. _Stay back, Roy. Please stay back!_

"This guy has agreed to pay us a lot of money if you'll just have sex with him. That's ALL you have to do, Honey. Just have sex with him and everything will be alright for us." Jess said while curling a loose section of hair behind her ear. "Just close your eyes and think of me. Just imagine that it's me touching you. Before you know it, it'll be over. I promise, Honey. Please don't go back on your word now. Please?" He wept.

She opened her mouth to protest just as Johnny called out to Jess. "Hey, why don't you just give me my money back and get the fuck outta here. I do NOT play games!" Johnny bluffed. Oh how he hoped his voice didn't betray him. He had to break into the conversation and force Jess to send Sarah back to him. He didn't know any other way to do it than to make the money an issue.

Jess turned his head at John's outburst and gave Gage an understanding nod. Turning back to face the trembling girl standing before him, he said "Thank you, Honey. I'll be back here real soon to pick you up and then everything will be fine." He said turning to walk her back toward the man he knew only as Coleman.

She couldn't speak. Her mouth suddenly dry and her breath caught around the lump in her throat. Her mind was sent reeling back to their first encounter. What had he said to her then?

'_You WILL pay off your sister's debt or I'll let all of Los Angeles County know what you're hiding….'_

Suddenly, she knew that no matter how much she pleaded, he really was going to leave her here with this stranger…who wanted to have sex with her. She looked up pleadingly into Jess's hazel eyes one final time.

"But Jess…..I uh….I don't know …what to do. I mean, I've never…"

He knew then that he had gotten his hooks into her. He had won the battle and he now owned her mind and soul.  
>"Oh Honey, it's ok. Just do what he tells you to do, that's all. He knows you're…..inexperienced ….and he's fine with that." Jess told her as he continued to ease her closer to Johnny.<p>

Johnny was disgusted by this filthy pig but he almost had him where he wanted him. He was bringing Sarah back to him. _Easy Gage…..don't blow this now._

Jess continued walking and actually walked right past Johnny taking her to the edge of the tent. "Honey, I'll be back real soon for you. I promise. Just go on in there and start taking off your clothes. Remember, you're doing this for US – you and me," and he lightly kissed her forehead.

Rage suddenly filled her entire being and before she realized what was happening she grunted through gritted teeth "No, I won't" and quickly turned to run; but Jess was quicker. He grabbed her left wrist tightly and twisted it violently while his balled up fist punched her right upper cheek. She saw stars momentarily as her legs seemed to melt beneath her.

"Hey," Johnny interceded . "Don't damage my goods, man". _Come on, Gage…..think man! Do something, anything, but don't stand here and watch him hurt this poor girl!_ It had all happened so fast that Johnny didn't even have time to react. That was a blessing because had he responded the way he normally would have then his cover would have been blown.

Jess was as stunned as the girl who was now sitting on the ground rocking gently back and forth while holding on to her left wrist with her right hand. "Honey," he said apologetically, "I'm so sorry. I wish you wouldn't make me do something like that."

Slapped into submission and accepting her fate, she slowly got back on her feet and made her way inside the tent. Stunned, she knelt down on the sleeping bag where only a little while ago, she had been sleeping unaware of this horror unfolding around her. For the first time since that long bus ride to the West Coast, she felt like crying. But now, just as then, she flexed her jaw muscles and willed the tears to retreat. She would endure whatever she must at the hands of this stranger. She would do what he wanted her to do; for she knew that the sooner she complied with his wishes, the sooner she'd be back with Jess. And if Jess was happy with her then her past would remain unknown to everyone else.

Roy hadn't heard all of the conversation but he'd heard enough to get the jest of it and he knew that Jess had no doubt assaulted Sarah. Roy also knew that there was now a young lady waiting just feet from him inside their tent. Sold by a man she trusted and now waiting to be taken by a stranger. His thoughts turned to his own precious little princess. If anyone ever even thought of doing something like this to her he'd rip their throat out with his bare hands. He inhaled deeply willing those thoughts to pass. He needed to get his act together and help this girl before it was too late. He'd wait for the car to leave again…..then he and Johnny would have their chance.

Johnny listened and watched the way Jess toyed with this girl's mind and emotions. This guy was good…really good. No wonder Tim wanted to get him off the streets as soon as he could. Burning acid began to make its way into the back of his throat. _Patience, Gage; he's almost ready to leave. Hang in there, man._

"Listen, Coleman…..I'm sorry she got all freaked out like that. If I'd known she'd do that I wouldn't have come back, I swear. I just wanted to make sure she woke up and all. I like a satisfied customer."

Johnny thought quickly and said, "well, I'm not real satisfied at the moment….but I might be if you grant me a few more hours with her to make up for the time I've lost."

"Hey, man. I understand. I understand. How's about I come back and pick her up at dawn on Monday?" Jess asked hoping he'd not lost a potential regular customer.

It had worked. He was giving Johnny just what he wanted. "Yea well…sure, why not, but this time – don't come back until dawn Monday…I don't like to have an audience at these events" he winked giving Jess his most wicked grin; and with that the two men shook hands and Jess returned to his car.

Roy faced the corner of the tent and waited to see the rear bumper of the car come into his line of vision. It finally did; hesitating only a second while the driver shifted into drive; and then pulled out of sight. Hopefully, this time he'd be gone for good.

Johnny felt dread as he turned to walk back into the tent and face Sarah. Remembering his partner he called to him in a voice barely louder than his normal speaking voice, "Hey, Roy".

"I'm here, Johnny. I've been back here since he drove back up," he said as he rounded the corner to see Johnny's worried expression. Roy didn't need to ask; he knew why Johnny was concerned because what awaited them inside the tent was going to be one of the most difficult rescues they'd ever attempted.


	4. Chapter 4

STOAATROTS8

Her wrist was throbbing and her cheek was beginning to swell. Why did Jess hit her? She knew deep down it was because she had tried to refuse to do what he wanted her to do but shouldn't it be her decision? But then again, he had helped her with food and rent while she was unemployed. What would she have done if he hadn't come through for her? Probably ended up on the streets, she knew. Then the irony of that thought hit her. How was this any different? Here she was in a tent in the middle of who-knows-where about to have sexual intercourse for the first time…..with a stranger who had actually paid money for her virginity. She was no different than those girls who hung out near the bus stop when she was working the night shift. She saw how men looked at them; some looked lustfully and some looked disgustedly. No, she was no different than them. She was trash; nothing more than street trash….bought, about to be used then tossed away.

She sat down on the sleeping bag with her legs curled into a "c" beneath her. She slipped off her shoes and set them near the edge of the tent wall. She tried to use her left hand but her wrist hurt too much so she began to fumble with the buttons on the blouse she didn't recognize using only her right hand. She had managed to open the top two buttons when the dark haired man entered the tent followed now by a second stranger…._two of them? Oh no, no please no….not two at the same time? _She quickly turned her head away not wanting to look them in the eyes. She knew that they didn't even consider her to be human; just nothing…..and nobody….and she was filled with shame. Her fingers moved down to the third button hoping that these two men didn't want anything violent. Maybe just straight sex; each man having a turn with her.

"Hey, Sarah….." the dark haired man spoke as he kneeled down in front of her. She held her breath waiting for him to do something but not quite sure what it would be.

"No, no, no….sweetie, don't do that. That's not why you're here." He looked up at Roy with eyes pleading for help. Then he reached toward her and began to refasten the buttons.

"Why don't we take a look at that wrist ok?" Roy said kneeling down beside Johnny. He eased his fingers beneath her upturned wrist and noted how she recoiled at his touch. Her lips were a straight thin line as they were being pressed together tighter and tighter. "I'm not gonna hurt you, Sarah, but you might have a broken wrist. I can see it's starting to swell," Roy offered sympathetically. She made no comment but instead continued to sit in stunned silence.

"I'll check her pupils, Roy. She took quite a blow to her right cheek." Johnny reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out his pen light. He touched her chin gently; tilting her head back ever so slightly. He could feel her trembling and longed to console her. She was absolutely terrified and he knew it. While Roy slowly turned her wrist from side to side checking it out, John explained to her how and why he was going to check her pupils. No response to his explanation. He clicked the pen light on and began sweeping it across her swollen eye. Repeating this action in her left eye, he announced, "Equal and reactive, Roy." Breathing a sigh of relief, he said "That's a good sign, Sarah." Again, no response and still no eye contact.

Roy had moved from her lower arm to her fingers in his examination. "Sarah, can you squeeze my hand? I need to know if it hurts when you move your fingers." He explained in his softest and kindest voice. A slight squeeze was all he felt but John noticed the definite wince in her face indicating that the movement was in fact painful. "Whoa, whao, Roy…that hurt didn't it, Sarah?"

She barely shook her head in affirmation. It was enough for the attentive paramedics to notice.

"Ok, Sarah…we know that you are scared to death right now but we aren't going to hurt you. I know what you heard out there and I know you probably don't believe us but it's the truth." Roy was trying to soothe her shakiness and ease her tension. "Johnny, this wrist needs a splint and some ice on it. Not sure if it's broken or just a bad sprain. You got anything we can brace it with so I can splint it?"

Johnny thought a minute, "uh, yea…. actually I think I might. Let me see if that stuff is still in the back of the Rover. Be back in a sec." He left Roy with the girl and ran to his vehicle. After scrounging around in the back for a minute he found a paint stirring stick that he had never used. It was perfect. He rushed back into the tent and saw Roy with her injured wrist lying in his open hand while he was using his other arm to ease her down onto the sleeping bag. "Hey Johnny, can you straighten out her legs and let's elevate them a little. She's feeling faint."

Johnny looked at her face and noticed it had gotten very pale and she was diaphoretic. He shoved an ice chest toward her feet. Carefully, he unfolded her legs out from under her and lifted them onto the ice chest. He then took a light blanket and covered her with it. Roy eased her wrist down, "I need to find some cloth to wrap your wrist with ok?" He wasn't asking permission. He knew that she needed to feel like nothing was going to be done without her permission; she needed to feel like her body was indeed hers and not his and John's. "Johnny, you got your hunting knife or anything I can cut up a -shirt with? I need strips to secure the splint."

Johnny removed his hunting knife from his backpack and handed it to Roy. His action did not go unnoticed by their victim and they both heard her gasp. "Oh, sweetie, take it easy, take it easy. It's ok." Her breathing was rapidly increasing and John knew he had to slow her down. "Slowly, Sarah, breathe slowly or you'll hyperventilate." He tried to get her to look at him but she refused. She was watching Roy cut up the t-shirt. "Easy now," Johnny repeated. He's just gonna wrap your wrist," he soothed.

"Do you feel sick to your stomach" asked Roy, thinking she might vomit. She shook her head negatively as Johnny began to bathe her face with the cold damp rag from earlier. This seemed to help her somewhat and her breathing began to slow down.

"Alright, you're starting to pink up a little, Sarah," Johnny said with a slight grin. In a few more minutes, I'm going to lower your legs back down level with your heart ok?" he asked knowing he'd get no answer. Roy tied off the splint and then John wrapped the blanket underneath her bare legs and used his foot to push the ice chest out from underneath them. He then laid them down gently making sure she was completely covered.

"Do you think you could take a few sips of water? We've got plenty of food, juice, water…..you are welcome to all of it. But I know you need some fluids ok?" explained Johnny.

She closed her eyes. How long had it been since she ate or drank anything? The park, maybe? How long ago was that? She nodded her answer 'yes.' Her emotions were swirling again. What she was experiencing was not what she had anticipated …neither from Jess a little while ago, nor from these two now. She felt a hand beneath her head lifting it slightly while a cup made contact with her parched lips. "Here you go, Sarah, just a couple of sips, ok?" The voice belonged to Johnny, she thought. She swallowed the cool liquid feeling her dry throat being quenched. "Atta girl" she heard him say. "More?" she heard him ask but simply nodded negatively and felt her head eased back to its original resting place. Confusion swept through her brain leaving a fog in its wake. She was sleepy again but too afraid to sleep; and too tired not to. She felt herself drifting into that state of consciousness that is neither sleep not wakefulness. She lay perfectly still willing herself to listen to the conversation taking place above her as the two men contemplated their next move.

Jess continued driving down the winding road. This place had one way in and one way out. He made it to the final stop sign before pulling out onto the highway without noticing that he was being followed. Tim Johnson's grey Ford Bronco was just a couple hundred yards behind the rust colored sedan. He would see to it that Karl Jessup paid for his crimes both past and present. He'd also make sure that he never again stole the future from a young college student whose life had only begun.

"Sarah, you still with us?" asked Roy before looking up at his partner and commenting, "I think she's sleeping. She's had quite an emotional experience."

"Yea, so have we….. " came John's response. He watched as her chest began to rise and fall in a rhythmic manner. "What should we do now?"

"You're asking me?" Roy retorted.

John let out a long sigh while sitting beside the sleeping girl. He looked up at Roy knowing he had a lot of explaining to do. "Roy, I don't know where to start."

"Well, the beginning is usually a pretty good spot," Roy chided – only half kidding.

"Huh, well…..it's a long story but I'll try to give you the Cliff's notes version, ok?" said Gage.

"Partner, right now I'll take any version I can get…..just so it's true." With that, Roy stretched out his legs and leaned back on one elbow. He was determined to find out how his junior partner had weasled him into this mess.

"Well, several years ago when I first moved to L.A…" started Johnny remembering the first time he'd ever even heard the term sex slaves.


	5. Chapter 5

STOAATROTS10

Jess clutched the envelope as he turned onto the 405. It contained more money than he'd ever received for one of his "ladies". It was time to celebrate – he wanted to mellow out with some smack and the company of one of his favorites – to reward himself. Mentally, he began to flip through the list of names: _Monica? Lisa? Pauline? Celia, yea, I'll have Celia tonight._ Forty minutes later he turned onto the familiar street and made his way to the 5th house on the right. Once he'd made his purchase, he drove home to make the call to Celia. _Congratulations to me on a job well done…_ he thought.

Tim continued following the car along the 405 and kept enough distance not to be seen when it turned into the seedy neighborhood where he knew Jess was going to buy drugs. He had him this time. Even if the girl Johnny was with right now refused to testify against him as least Tim could get him on drug charges. He pulled his bronco into a grocery store parking lot where he'd seen a pay phone. "Ricky...it's Tim. I've followed Jessup and he's at a known dealer's house now. Can you get some black and whites to be in the vicinity of his house in a couple of hours? We need to take him down today…..yea, if you'll get the search warrant then we'll nab this bastard before he knows what hit him." Tim hung up the phone and made his way back to the Bronco to wait on Jess. _Karl Jessup…..your ass is MINE!_

_XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx_

"You took an acting class at community college?" Roy asked in stunned disbelief. "What, trying to figure out a way to see if your girlfriend was faking it?" He chuckled to himself.

"Ha-Ha"came the mocked response from his partner. "I was interested in maybe doing a little community theater, ok?" Johnny looked away and shrugged his shoulders. "Anyway, there was a guy in there by the name of Tim Johnson. He and I kind of hit it off, I guess. He wanted to be an undercover cop and needed some tips on how to change his appearance as well as acting in order to keep his cover."

Roy sat up then and looked his best friend square in the eyes. "And the two of you are working together now trying to bust this pimp?" he asked.

"Well, Tim and I remained friends long after the class was over. We didn't hang out together much or anything but we still spoke occasionally." Johnny continued, "Tim said I had a certain 'rustic' look that made for a good cover." John let loose his trademark grin.

"Oh, let me guess, your untamed hair…am I right?" Roy chided.

"Well, yea that helps," came John's response. "And don't forget the ole Gage charm," he grinned.

"So anyway, Roy, over the last several years, I've gotten to know Tim better and I've found out he has a more personal reason for going after this Jessup guy."

"Go on…I'm listening," said Roy.

"Well, his younger sister was a nursing student at one of the local colleges – don't remember which one. Anyway, she got mixed up with this guy named Karl Jessup. He got her hooked on cocaine and then basically turned her into a prostitute in order to pay for her addiction. She disappeared for over 8 months, Roy. Cops found her body inside an old house. She was chained to a bed with just enough slack in the chain to allow her to go to the bathroom and shower…" his eyes seemed to glass over somewhat as he was caught up in the memory of Tim's personal nightmare.

"How did she die?" asked Roy.

"Blunt force trauma" came the response. "Roy, this bastard, Jessup, kept her as a sex slave and sold her to who knows how many men until one of them got more violent than normal and she died. Chained like some kind of wild animal…." He could say no more and shook the images from his brain.

"So, why isn't this Jessup fellow in jail?" he heard Roy say.

"Because there's honor among thieves, Roy. No witnesses. No one would come forward and say that Karl Jessup had done that to Mollie. Can you believe that?"

"She may have lived like that for up to eight months, and no one would help her?" Roy couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"No Roy, no one. It was like she didn't exist. She didn't matter. To all those guys, she was just another cheap whore. Nothing more than a quick…..well, no one stood up for her. No one."

Roy had a hard time imagining what he was hearing. He didn't want to believe it and yet he knew it was true. "So Tim has a personal vendetta for Jessup, huh?" he asked Johnny.

"You bet he does. Tim's been on his trail for several months now. A few weeks ago he called me up out of the blue. Roy, I hadn't heard a word from him in over a year and then I got a call asking for my help. He wanted me to try to buy a girl from Jessup. I agreed and everything was set up but Jessup never showed. He got spooked or something and he just never showed up."

"Well, partner, looks like you got her this time," Roy said trying to bring a measure of comfort to Johnny.

"No, this is a different girl but…yea, we got this one." He looked at the sleeping form lying between them and gave a half-hearted smile. "I just hope we can keep her away from him long enough to convince her to testify."

She could vaguely hear the two men talking. She didn't want to believe that they were actually talking about Jess. She'd never even thought to ask him his full name. _Karl Jessup…was that her Jess? _

She was tired and ached all over, she tried to move a little but just felt so weak. She still didn't know what these two guys might do to her but at this point, she felt so badly that she really didn't even care.

Roy was the first to notice her slight movements. "Sarah, are you awake?" he asked again using his softest voice.

Johnny instinctively reached for her wrist to take her pulse. He found it immediately and noticed that she didn't shirk at his touch this time. Her pulse was rapid and he noticed that her respirations had increased as well. Roy tilted her head slightly away from him so that he could get a better look at the bruising and swelling along her right cheek. It was worsening…and he also noticed that she had a fever now too.

"Johnny, she's spiking a temp….we can't keep her here."

"Yea, I know, I know." I'm supposed to wait for Tim to come back and let me know that the coast is clear….but I don't think we can wait. We gotta get her to a hospital." John was frustrated that their plan was falling apart but he also knew that Sarah's health and well-being were much more important than the arrest of one loathsome Karl Jessup.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Tim, along with several uniformed officers, was poised on the perimeter of Jessup's property. Once Ricky's confirmation of the search warrant came through, they headed for all the doors. They found Jessup lying naked on the couch with Celia straddling him. Both were so high they didn't even bother to stop what they were doing as law enforcement officers poured into the residence. Drug paraphernalia littered the room and empty booze bottles were lined up along the coffee table. "My God…" said Tim as he caught a glimpse of Celia's bruised body. He had to restrain himself from killing Jessup with his bare hands here and now. How he wanted to see him dead in his own home, lying naked and exposed for everyone to see…just like Mollie. But he knew that if he ever laid a hand on Jessup he wouldn't stop and it was the long-term that he was most concerned about. He had to get this guy put away.

After the couple were semi-clothed, a couple of uniformed officers took them to waiting patrol cars. As he watched them drive away his thoughts turned to John and he silently prayed that progress was being made with Jessup's latest victim.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

The Rover was again packed up with their gear. Roy was sitting sideways in the backseat with Sarah's limp form leaning against his chest. He held her in a semi upright position so that her legs would be stretched out on the seat. In this way, he could keep a close check on her pulse and respirations as well as try to keep her as calm as possible. He held a cup of ice water to her lips encouraging her to drink sips as much as possible. Her fever was getting worse; he could feel the heat from her body radiating into his chest. "Come on, Sarah, please try to take another sip ok?"

"Umm", was the only response he got. Her fingers were getting even more puffy and discolored on her left hand and he was certain now that her wrist must be broken.

Johnny tried to drive as carefully as he could to avoid any unnecessary roughness along the dirt roads. But he felt a sense of urgency too and knew that they needed to get to Rampart as quickly as they could. He'd give Tim a call from the hospital and let him know what had happened. He prayed Jessup wasn't somewhere along the route watching for them.

"How's she doing, Roy?" he asked not sure he wanted to know.

"She's hanging in there but she won't take anymore water…..she's still hot too." Roy, placed his right hand along her abdomen to monitor her breathing …..each rise and fall giving him some sense of reassurance.

"Wh…where we goin'?" she moaned as Johnny turned onto the 405 and headed south.

"Shhh, Sarah, don't try to talk. We're taking you to a hospital. You're sick and need to see a doctor. You're gonna be alright, I promise, ok?" Roy said trying to convince himself as much as his young patient. He gently stroked her forehead brushing the stray hair off her face. His mind again returned to his own wife and daughter and for the rest of the ride he was lost in his thoughts…..

Johnny made the familiar turn into the Emergency Room at Rampart just as dusk was falling. He jumped out and reached back to help Roy with Sarah. Taking her in his arms he too could feel the heat from her fever. Roy reached the door first and grabbed a gurney. He held it while Johnny laid their victim down and then they rushed toward the treatment rooms; nearly colliding with Dixie as they made the right turn.

"Treatment 3…..What you got, guys?" she asked noting how unusual they looked out of uniform.

Johnny started spouting off statistics the way he would with any other victim. "Nineteen year old female victim of a domestic assault. She has a possible fracture in her left wrist and severe bruising along her right upper cheekbone. She is dehydrated, febrile and diaphoretic…" they disappeared into treatment room 3.

_Dr. Brackett, treatment room 3…Dr. Brackett, treatment room 3._

Minutes later, Kel appeared in the room with Dr. Early close on his heels to find their patient wearing an oxygen mask and Dixie taking her vitals. He glanced at John and Roy and asked the same questions Dix had asked them moments before. As John began to explain the situation, Dixie pulled her stethoscope out of her ears and began removing the BP cuff from the uninjured arm. Their patient was beginning to regain consciousness somewhat and was beginning to get agitated. Roy stepped close enough for her to see him and placed his hand on her forehead in a comforting measure. He smiled and began explaining to her exactly what was happening. "Hey Sarah, you are at Rampart Hospital. Dr.'s Brackett and Early are friends of ours and they are going to be taking very good care of you."

Dixie decided to join in the conversation as well. She had a special way of calming down her patients with her firm but gentle voice. This time was no different. "So, your name is Sarah, huh? Well, my name is Dixie and I'm going to be helping take care of you. Don't be afraid, ok? I'm going to tell you everything that is happening….no surprises." She grinned at her frightened patient and thought she caught a glimpse of relief in her eyes. "Can you tell me where you're from?"

"Mi…..Mi'sippi" came the weak response.

"I thought I heard a slight southern drawl," winked Roy still gently stroking her forehead.

Johnny was in full paramedic mode taking orders and assisting the doctors while his partner and Dixie took care of the emotional needs of their young patient.

Three hours later, Dixie and the two paramedics stood around the hospital bed of the sleeping girl. Her wrist had been set and casted and she was receiving fluids and antibiotics intravenously. Blood had pooled in the sinus cavity of her right cheek; compliments of the blow from Jess. Roy and Johnny had explained as much as they could to Dixie who just stood there shaking her head with tears in her eyes. Dixie wasn't one to get emotionally involved with her patients but every once in a while she couldn't help it. Her motherly instincts kicked in and she allowed them to take over. "Poor poor girl," was all she could say.

"Uh, Johnny I need to call Joanne and fill her in on what's going on. I'll be right back."

"Oh, yea sure Roy. I'll be right here."

"Oh no you won't, John Gage," came Dixie's unsolicited answer. "You get yourself down to a phone and contact this detective Johnson. Let him know she's here. I'll stay with her until one of you gets back."

John knew Dixie was right. He didn't need Tim to think they were still at the camp site. He needed him to know exactly what had happened with Jess and Miss Sarah Elizabeth Mooring. And he needed guidance on where to go from here.

"Yea, Tim. I've got her ID here. Her name is Sarah Elizabeth Mooring. She mentioned being from Mississippi; not sure what city though." Johnny continued answering questions from Tim and Tim filled him in on Jessup's arrest."

"You did, good Johnny. Real good," Tim praised causing John to give a slight blush as he stood in the hallway at Rampart. "I've got a friend who works in Jackson, Mississippi. I think I'll give him a call and get him to do some research on our victim. Perhaps we can locate some next of kin. Family support is critical to her right now."

"Hey, that sounds good, Tim. Um, I'll be here for quite a while I'm sure. Just give me a call if you find out anything, ok?"

"Will do" came Tim's standard answer and then he added, "Thanks again, John. You made Mollie proud today."

The night was uneventful. Joanne picked up Roy from the hospital and Johnny spent the night at the bedside of the recovering Sarah. Her rest was fitful and Johnny could only imagine what images haunted her dreams causing child-like whimpers to awaken him several times during the night. When she awoke the following morning she was somewhat confused but not nearly as frightened of him as she had seemed at the camp site. When her breakfast arrived, she realized she was extremely hungry. With a cast on one hand and an IV in the other, she was having difficulty managing so John offered to help feed her. She agreed, hesitantly, but it was progress so John stood up and began offering her one bite at a time. Each mouthful she swallowed was going to help her regain her strength and Johnny was determined to see that she recovered as quickly as possible….and got as far away from Jessup as she could.

Tim hadn't rested well finding sleep difficult after the excitement of the day before. He was still dozing when his phone rang. "Hello?" he answered groggily. The voice on the other end belonged to his friend in Jackson, Mississippi. Hearing it, he bolted awake. "Yea, hi Bill, got anything on our vic?"

Moments passed and Tim broke out in a sweat. He ran his hand through his mussed up hair and gasped at what he was hearing. "Oh My God….this changes everything."


	6. Chapter 6

STOAATROTS10

"Roll Call" announced Captain Stanley. He snickered to himself as he heard the scraping of chairs on the floor in the kitchen. The guys were just finishing up their morning coffee and Chet and Johnny were bantering with each other again. Marco made some comment in Spanish that Hank didn't fully understand but they both were grinning as they rolled their eyes at the last two men who exited the kitchen - arms and voices raised in a heated discussion. Cap went over a few memos with the guys and then they each left for their assigned cleaning duties.

Johnny was cleaning the latrine when Roy came in quickly announcing that he had a visitor. "Who?" asked Johnny. He couldn't imagine who would be coming by the station to see him.

"Well, it's a guy so don't get all hot and bothered," grinned Roy. He held the door open for John as he exited the latrine.

Standing next to the large map inside the apparatus bay was Tim Johnson.

"Oh, Tim, hi….Roy, this is Tim Johnson…..Tim, my partner, Roy DeSoto." Pleasantries were exchanged and then John asked Hank for the use of his office for a few minutes. Hank obliged and the two men closed the door behind them.

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"When can I go home?" came the question that Dr. Brackett had been anticipating.

"What's the matter, Sarah, aren't we treating you well here?" he tried to ask in a somewhat joking manner. She didn't laugh and he changed his tone with her. "Sarah, you've been through a difficult situation and it takes time for our bodies to heal. You need lots of rest, plenty of fluids and to be surrounded by people who care about you. Now, I can't think of a better place to get those than right here, can you?" Kel asked hoping she wouldn't push the issue.

"I can rest at my apartment. I have plenty of food and drinks there. I just want to go home, please" she pleaded with him.

"Sarah, I'm gonna level with you. You know as well as I do that I can't force you to stay here. If you want to go home then I have to let you leave but I have to tell you that it's against medical advice. You'll have to sign a waiver saying that you understand the risks you are taking and that you won't hold this hospital or its staff – including me – responsible if something happens to you because you left too soon." He sat on the edge of her bed for a moment and then continued. "Why don't you think about it for a while and if you still feel that way in a few hours I'll have Dixie bring in the forms to you, alright?"

She looked away from him then and nodded her agreement. The sooner she could get out of here the better she'd feel. She was beginning to suffocate in this place with so many people asking her questions about what had happened. She just had to get away from it all…..before she broke down and they found out.

"Why the long face, Kel?" asked Dixie as Dr. Brackett walked up to the nurses station.

"Well, that girl that Gage and DeSoto brought in the other night is wanting to go home" he lamented.

"So soon? I kind of thought she might enjoy a little Rampart TLC" Dixie grinned.

"Yea well, I'd hoped she would too. I convinced her to think about it for a few hours but if she persists then….."

"I know, Kel….I'll get the AMA papers ready for her"

"Thanks, Dix" he said sincerely, "let's just hope we don't need them"

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"What the hell? What do you mean he can't be charged, Tim? Sarah was drugged and sold to me for sex. She had NO idea where she was or why she was there when she woke up. She sure as hell didn't agree to any of it. This is bullshit!" Johnny was losing his temper. After what they had gone through the last few days only to find out that it was all for nothing was almost more than he could handle.

"Gage, settle down. I'm not giving up on this but we have a serious problem, don't you get it? If I fill out that paper work charging him with crimes against Sarah Elizabeth Mooring then it'll be thrown out of court! Hell, even a half-assed attorney could get him off scott-free based on our evidence." Tim was even more frustrated than Gage.

"So it was just all for naught? Why can't Roy and I testify, Tim? I made the deal with Jessup, remember? I gave him the money. I picked her up out of his car while she was still unconscious. Roy and I kept notes of her vitals until she woke up. I was standing there and overheard every sick thing that motherfucker said to her and I watched him assault her." John could feel the hair on the back of his neck standing up and he had no doubt his blood pressure was through the roof. "I drove her to Rampart while Roy took care of her in the back of my car and I stayed with her all night…now why doesn't that count for something, huh?" He asked Tim who was standing staring at the display of rage before him.

"Who, Gage? Who did you do all this for?"

"What do you mean, Tim? We did it for Sarah."

Tim chose his words very deliberately and carefully before proceeding. "No, Gage. You didn't do it for Sarah…." Tim watched his friend run a frantic hand through his hair before planting it firmly on his hip.

"You couldn't have done it for Sarah because…." Klaxons interrupted Tim's sentence.

"Damn it" voiced Gage out of frustration. "Look, I'll call you later and we'll finish this ok? I gotta run."

_Station 51 traffic accident with injuries at the intersection of East Sepulveda Blvd and South Alameda St. That's the intersection of East Sepulveda Blvd and South Alameda St. Time out 0851._

John left Tim standing in the Captain's office at Station 51. He had to find a way to make charges stick to Karl Jessup, even if that meant jeopardizing his law enforcement career by doing the unthinkable.

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The engine and the squad made quick time and were soon at the scene of the accident. There were 3 cars involved but only one injury. A newly licensed driver had misjudged the distance between his vehicle and the one in front of him and had rear-ended a slightly hysterical elderly lady. The force from the collision had forced her car into the first car at the stoplight. She was now complaining of chest pain as well as pain in her neck and upper back. Dr. Morton had ordered an IV D5W TKO and an EKG. Once she was secured to a backboard and in the ambulance, Roy began patching her in for an EKG while John followed them in the squad. He needed the few minutes of alone time to sort through the bad news he'd gotten this morning from Tim. None of it made sense to him and as soon as he had a chance he needed to finish the conversation.

Once Dr. Morton released the paramedics, Dixie told them that Dr. Brackett wanted to talk to them ASAP in his office.

"Dix, how's Sarah today?" asked John as they walked down the corridor to office 127.

"Well, I think that's what Kel wants to discuss" she responded then softly knocked on the door.

"Come in," came the familiar voice.

"Hey Doc," Roy quipped.

"Oh, hi fellows…..please sit down," Kel said while gesturing to the chairs in front of his desk.

"Is Sarah ok this morning?" asked Johnny in a worried tone.

"Well," Kel rose and walked around to sit on the corner of his desk; his arms folded over his chest. "Yes and no."

Johnny cringed at the double-speak. _Not more freakin' word games…._

"You lost me there," came Roy's quick response while Gage just nodded in agreement.

"It seems she wants to go home, and she says she's willing to sign herself out against medical advice in order to do it." Kel watched as his two star paramedics both glanced at each other. Johnny spoke first.

"Well, that's a good sign, right? I mean, that she's feeling well enough to go home." Gage was leaning forward in his seat expectantly.

"Johnny, I didn't say she felt well enough or that she actually WAS well enough. I just said that she wants to go home. I'm afraid she's wanting to go back to this guy….Jessup isn't that his name?" Dr. Brackett looked quizzically at first John and then Roy. Both nodded.

Roy spoke next, "and that's the 'no' part you were talking about?"

"Exactly, Roy. She still needs plenty of rest, nourishment and fluids….and that's just to repair the physical damage." Dr. Brackett never minced words.

For the first time, John understood exactly what Dr. Brackett was concerned about. "Doc, it seems like she'd be more vulnerable to him now than ever. I mean, she couldn't defend herself against him when she was fully healthy so she doesn't stand a chance in her current condition."

"You hit the nail on the head, Gage" Dr. Brackett said.

Roy chimed in then, "but Jessup is in jail, he can't get to her…..so I don't follow you there."

Johnny leaned his elbows on his knees and hung his head. "He won't be there long, Roy."

"Huh?" said Roy.

"John what do you know that you haven't told us," asked Kel with grave concern in his voice.

"I don't know all the details yet. Tim was trying to explain it to me when we got called out but for some reason, Jessup can't be charged for what he's done to Sarah. I don't get it….yet, but Tim says he can't be charged."

Roy sank back in his chair. With all they had gone through the last few days and now this guy was going to get away with it. He heaved a huge sigh and asked both Johnny and Dr. Brackett, "So what do we do now?"

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She looked at the only clothing she had with her. The green blouse, short denim skirt and black sandals were definitely not clothes she'd have picked out for herself. They were all she had with her though so she had no choice but to wear them home. Her IV had been removed earlier and the nurse had left her to shower and dress; no easy task with a bag taped around a casted arm. Fully dressed except for her sandals, she stepped out of the bathroom and was surprised to see her room full of visitors. Dixie, Dr. Brackett, Roy and John were all there with grim looks on their faces. She looked down as she walked back to her bed and wrapped the blanket around her cold legs.

"Sarah, you are making a big mistake by leaving so soon." The words came from John, the man who had 'bought' her from Jess.

Looking at no one in particular she said, "I want to go home…please."

After twenty minutes of going round and round with her four visitors she refused to give in. She had to get out of this place. There were too many people and she felt too exposed. She needed to go home. She had to go home. Dr. Brackett had said he couldn't keep her if she didn't want to stay and she made it perfectly clear that she did NOT want to stay.

"Sarah, would you agree to do this much for us,…..let Roy and John take you home in the squad. They can make sure you don't get weak or dizzy as you move around more. Will you at least agree to that before you leave?" Dr. Brackett was nothing if not persistent.

"I guess so," she agreed; still not looking at any of them.

Dr. Brackett looked over at Dixie and she gave him a knowing smile, "guess I better get the AMA papers, huh?" and she turned and walked out the door.

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The drive to her apartment was quiet; too quiet. Roy felt the discomfort and as a way to make conversation asked," so you are a student right? What are you studying?"

"I, uh, don't go to school anymore. I work at Caroline's. At least I hope I still do. I missed work yesterday. So, I'm probably fired."

Johnny looked over at Roy with a look of pure shock on his face. This girl hadn't spoken this many words to them since they met. In an effort to keep her talking, Johnny asked, "so what will you do for money until you find another job?" _Please don't say it, just don't say it…_

"I've got a little money stashed away. I'll make it somehow."

Roy cut his eyes at Johnny but before he could respond she spoke again.

"Take a left here, please and then the next right."

"Hey Johnny, this is where we worked that fire with the code-F not too long ago wasn't it?" Roy asked while looking at the still burned out shell that was the scene of a diner fire where the owner died in the blaze.

"Yea, Roy, it is."

"I used to work there …..before the fire…..I was at home when it happened…" her voice trailed off as memories flooded her. That was the morning she woke up to find that Jess had spent the night in her apartment and she had no memory of what had occurred the night before.

"Is this the complex?" asked Roy, abruptly dragging her back to the present.

"Um, yea, this is it," she stated.

Roy eased the squad over to the curb and Johnny got out offering her a hand. He didn't want her to lose her balance and she still hadn't regained all her strength yet. She accepted his hand and he was pleased that this time, she wasn't trembling.

"Thank you both for driving me home…..and everything." There, it was said. Her head knew they had probably saved her life but her heart wasn't ready to accept her situation yet.

"You're welcome, Sarah, but our job here isn't done," came Johnny's response.

Roy quickly took John's lead and said, "that's right…we have strict orders to deliver you home….not to the curb. Let's get you settled into your apartment and then we'll leave you alone to get some rest."

She gave a half smile, the most either of them had seen, and then led them through the doors of her building. The elevator was slow but steady as it made its way to the fourth floor. Opening up her purse, she retrieved her key and opened up the door. She didn't know whether to invite them in or not but figured she might as well since they'd come this far with her. She set her purse down on the bar and then turned on her lights. It felt good to be home.

"Are you sure you'll be alright?" asked Roy.

"Yea, I'm feeling tired that's all."

"Sarah" it was Gage this time, "I'm leaving my business card right here beside your purse. The station phone number is on the front and my home phone number is on the back. You call any time day or night if you need anything…even if it's just to talk ok?"

She was suddenly so tired that a one syllable reply was all she could manage, "k".

"Why don't you go put on your pajamas and get in bed. We'll wait in here until we know you are tucked in and then we'll leave," the directive was coming from Roy this time. She was too exhausted to complain and headed back to her bedroom. Roy wrote his home phone number on the back of his business card as well leaving it beside John's. When she gave them the okay, they turned to leave but John hesitated. He opened his wallet and took out $10.00 leaving it tucked underneath the business cards. Roy followed his example and then they both raised their voices in "good-bye" so as to be heard down the hallway and walked out the door.

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Tim Johnson sat at his desk still searching through Karl Jessup's file for any snippet of information to help him build a case against this monster. The ringing of his desk phone startled him enough that he dropped the pages he was holding in his hand.

"Tim Johnson", he identified himself to the caller.

"Tim, John here. You got a minute to finish our conversation?"

"Yea, sure" he said while leaning back in his squeaky desk chair. He propped his right hand on the arm rest while holding the receiver in his left.

John took a deep breath before starting the conversation back up where they'd left off hours earlier. "Tim, tell me again why we have no case against Jessup with all he's done to Sarah; especially with Roy and me as witnesses." Gage could almost feel the bile rising in his throat. He was glad he was alone again in Cap's office; glad for a superior who understood his need for privacy even if he didn't know why. John sat waiting for the answer and praying that there'd be no klaxons tonight. He still had 2 hours before 'lights out' and he was afraid he'd need every bit of that time to understand why Tim was now back peddling on pursuing criminal charges against Jessup. John could here Tim's audible exhalation and knew he wasn't going to like the answer he was going to get.

"John…..before we were interrupted you were giving me all these reasons why you and Roy could testify against Jessup and I asked you specifically who you did all those things for, remember?"

Johnny shook his head affirmatively as he answered in like manner, "yes, I told you that we did them for Sarah. Stop the mind games ok, Tim? Just spit it out."

"John," Tim started, trying to be careful with how he revealed their problem to Johnny but finally determined just to lay it out there to Johnny in the same way he himself had received it. He began reading_….."Sarah Elizabeth Mooring, age 19, formerly of Biloxi, Mississippi and a student at the University of Southern California…. expired on January 15, 1974." _


	7. Chapter 7

STOAAT11

John felt like he'd taken a stiff kick in the groin. He opened his mouth to speak but said nothing. Sitting in Cap's chair, he could barely hold the phone in his hand as Tim's words again replayed in his head.

_Sarah Elizabeth Mooring, age 19, formerly of Biloxi, Mississippi and a student at the University of Southern California EXPIRED on January 15, 1974._

"Tim," John almost didn't recognize his own raspy voice, "How can that be? Roy and I just dropped her off at her apartment earlier today."

"John, you guys dropped someone off but it wasn't Sarah Mooring."

Johnny couldn't believe what he was hearing. He'd checked her driver's license and her student ID. The photos seemed to match. She'd responded to the sound of her name even when she was drugged. How could she not be Sarah Mooring?

"Johnny, I was as shocked as you are when I found out but it's true. So, I can't fill out paper work listing Sarah Mooring as Jessup's victim for crimes committed 5 months after her death."

Gage's mind was reeling…."Uh, no..no, Tim I guess you can't. That WOULD get thrown out in court….so, uh why don't we just go on over to her apartment and find out who she is?"

Well, that sounded simple enough to Gage but obviously Tim had already thought about that approach.

"I don't think a confrontation is the way to go, Gage."

"Yea, Tim I know….I'm just floored that's all." Johnny had regained some of his composure but still couldn't believe this turn of events.

"I'm trying to think of a way to identify her but I'll be honest; I'm coming up blank right now," said Tim.

"So, is there anything you can hold Jessup on?" asked John.

"Drug charges – that's about all; and he won't spend a lot of time in jail for that" explained Tim.

"Damn" was the only comment John could make.

"Thanks for all your help, John; and if you have any ideas don't keep them to yourself ok?"

"Sure thing..keep in touch," and with that Johnny hung up the phone. He had to tell Roy what was going on. And hoped that maybe Roy had some idea of what to do.

She had lain awake all night trying to convince herself that this whole nightmare wasn't true. Jess hadn't really sold her and he hadn't broken her wrist and punched her either…but the awful truth echoed loudly inside her quiet apartment. She was alone now. No friends and probably not even a job to support herself. Her rent was due in a couple of weeks and in spite of what she'd told the paramedics, she really didn't have any money stashed away. There was no way she'd make it. And then if Jess came back around what would she do?

_How did my life get so messed up? What did I do so wrong to deserve this?_

For the first time in months, tears threatened to fall.

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The morning klaxons sounded waking the dozing firefighters of Station 51. When the other guys were out of hearing range, John told Roy that he needed to talk to him as soon as they were relieved by B shift. "Roy, you were asleep when I got off the phone with Tim last night but I've got to explain everything to you ok?" Johnny asked. Roy invited him to come over to the DeSoto house for breakfast and they could talk then.

After a heavy breakfast of Joanne's pancakes, bacon and milk, the duo poured themselves a couple of cups of coffee and headed into the den to discuss the latest news from Tim Johnson. Joanne had gotten the kids ready for school and whisked them out the door amid cries of "bye Dad; bye Uncle Johnny," leaving the house very quiet. Johnny then began to relay to Roy the fact that Sarah Elizabeth Mooring wasn't who they thought she was. Roy didn't interrupt Johnny's train of thought but when the story was told he just sat there; mouth agape. "I can't believe it, Johnny" was all he could manage to say.

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She felt a little more comfortable now that daylight had appeared but she had no more ideas about how to proceed than she did the night before. Maybe it was just time to give up. She thought briefly about buying a bus ticket back to the Gulf Coast but there was nothing more for her there than there was for her in Los Angeles. Should she try to find Jess and see if he'd take her back as a 'worker'? If she did everything he asked her to do then surely he wouldn't hurt her again. But she knew that she wouldn't live long with that kind of lifestyle; if that could be called living at all. She thought about her sister, her parents and her grandmother – all gone; dead; never coming back. Slowly, she realized that life held nothing for her at all anymore. No matter where she went, she would always be alone. She missed her family so badly that it felt like a true physical pain…a pain she wanted desperately to go away….and she only knew of one way to make it happen…she needed to join them.

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Tim trudged up the flight of stairs leading to his office. He felt like an utter failure. Karl Jessup had been within arm's reach but once again he was about to slip away. He'd already been given notice that Jessup would likely make bail late this afternoon. He stepped into his office and sat down behind the familiar desk. He had gone over his plan several times last night until he'd made his decision. Karl Jessup might make bail but he'd pay for what he'd done. If the courts weren't able to make him pay, then Tim would do it himself.

_I know you wouldn't want me to do it this way, Mollie so all I can say is that I'm sorry. I won't let him hurt anyone else. He has to be stopped and I don't know another way to make it happen. I love you, Mollie. _

All he had to do now was watch the clock and wait for the call saying Jessup was walking out the door.

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She pulled herself out of bed and got dressed. She pulled on a pair of jeans and an old t-shirt. She knew she looked a mess but it really didn't matter to anyone; she certainly didn't care. She brushed her teeth and pulled her hair back in a ponytail then headed for her kitchen. She had to write down what her plans were and make her wishes known. She didn't know if anyone would care but she felt the need to at least try. She searched around the tiny apartment but couldn't find a single piece of paper. "Figures" she groaned. Seeing her purse on the bar she thought perhaps there was a receipt or something in it she could write on. What she saw beside her purse brought a lump to her throat. Two business cards left by the men she knew only as John and Roy. She picked up the cards and found twenty dollars neatly folded underneath. Tears welled up in her eyes and for the first time in months she didn't try to force them to retreat. She read the names on the cards. John Gage and Roy DeSoto. The business cards were real and they had left them for her along with some money; given to her with no expectations. She could hardly believe it. She recalled John saying something last night about calling him anytime if she needed anything even just to talk. He and Roy had done so much for her. She couldn't leave without thanking them; and she certainly couldn't leave without explaining to them the reasons why.

Picking up her phone, she dialed the number listed as Station 51's. When a male voice answered she asked to speak to John Gage or Roy DeSoto.

"I'm sorry miss," came the reply "but they left here over an hour ago when their shift ended."

She quickly thanked him and declined to leave a message. She turned the card over and found Gage's home phone number. She dialed it but got no answer. Finally, she dialed the home phone number for Roy DeSoto and held tightly to the phone as she heard the first ring.

"Roy, I need to run. I'm really sorry I got you all mixed up in this mess in the first place" John said apologetically.

Roy opened his mouth to answer but the ringing of the phone interrupted him. "Hang on a minute, Johnny" he said reaching for the receiver.

"DeSoto residence" he answered but there was only silence on the other end. "Hello?" he repeated growing irritated. He was about to hang up when he heard a female voice on the other end with a hint of a southern drawl.

"Mr. DeSoto" she began…..


	8. Chapter 8

STOAAT12

"Yes, this is Roy DeSoto" Roy spoke into the phone. Johnny was still standing at the door when Roy motioned for him to come back and sit with him near the phone.

"Um.."

Roy heard an audible gulp and knew that his caller was struggling to speak. He decided to help her out and said "Is this Sarah?"

"Uh, yes, sir" said the voice on the other end.

This time the gulp was Roy's. "Sarah, are you ok? Let me come over. I can be there in 15 minutes, alright?"

"No, no please…..I, uh…I just wanted to thank you and Mr. Gage for the money….. and for everything."

"Well Sarah Johnny and I care about you and want you to be ok." Roy continued "have you called Johnny? I know he'd like to hear from you." He knew the answer because John was still sitting beside him but he had to keep her talking.

"I haven't" she said. "I tried but I didn't get an answer."

There was suddenly an uncomfortable silence. Roy decided to break it by saying, "Sarah, can I help you with something? You need anything? You know you can trust me, right?"

"Yes, sir…..um, can I write you a letter….or something, maybe?"

She was struggling and he knew it. He hoped she was about to reveal her identity to him but he was also afraid that she wouldn't. "Look," said Roy "Why don't I just come over and let's sit down face to face and talk…..about anything, ok? You've been through a lot and I'm sure you are having a tough time processing it all. Let me help you, ok?"

He was offering to help her. She didn't know if she could actually tell him what she needed him to know if he was actually sitting in front of her. _Oh God, if you're real, please tell me what to do…..please?_

She wasn't answering him but he could hear her shallow breathing on the phone. Was she crying? He really couldn't tell but this girl had rarely shown any emotions at all. Fear and terror were about the extent of it. If she was crying….something terrible must have happened to her. His mind swirled with the possibilities. Was Jessup out of jail already? Had he threatened her…..or worse? He looked over at John who was staring at him with grave concern in his eyes. Roy mouthed the words to him "something's wrong"….Johnny stood then wiping his sweaty palms on his jeans.

He whispered to Roy, "keep her talking….I'm headed over there now."

Tim looked up at the clock that hung on the wall of his office. The second hand seemed to be moving slower than normal.

_Man, this is like watching grass grow._

He reached inside his coat to the place where his shoulder holster held its cargo and felt the cold metal touch his hand. His ringing phone made him jump in his seat. Slowly he reached for the handset and answered. "Tim Johnson" he spoke into the phone.

"He posted bail," was all the caller said.

"Thanks" came his short reply and with that he hung up the phone. He reached back inside his jacket and felt for the tiny leaver near the handle of his weapon. He pressed it until he heard the clicking noise; indicating that the safety was in the 'off' position. Standing he looked at the ceiling; inhaling deeply and spoke to his deceased sister. "This one's for you, Mollie."

John was on his way to her apartment when he thought about Dr. Brackett's words from yesterday. He knew that she did need good nutrition and lots of rest and fluids. He might not be able to help with the rest but he could at least pick her up some juice and soup. Perhaps she would eat a little while he was there. Even I can heat up a can of soup he thought and turned on his blinker for the turn into the small corner market to make his purchases.

Tim opened his door and headed down the long corridor headed for the stairs. He wouldn't jeopardize any civilians; he'd wait for Jessup in the parking lot. Just as his hand reached for the door handle of the stairway, he heard an office door open and someone call his name.

"Johnson, can I see you for a minute?" The voice belonged to his supervisor.

_Damn it…..not now, Wheeler!_

"Yes sir, what can I do for you?" Tim tried to use his calmest voice so he wouldn't give away his anxiety over what he was about to do.

"I need your signature on these reports. You dated them but you forgot to sign them." His supervisor was giving him a knowing grin. "Doing your paper work a little too fast, huh?" he chided.

"Yea, I guess I am. I'll try to slow down and smell the roses, boss," he laughed hoping that Chief Wheeler would see only the old jovial Johnson and not the cold hearted man standing before him now. He clicked his pen and signed the papers before turning back to his boss. "Smoke break" he announced and then exited down the flight of stairs that led to the parking lot.

Karl Jessup walked out of the doors of the jail and into the bright sun. He squinted his eyes as he searched the parking lot for Pauline's vehicle.

_Bitch better not be late, _he thought to himself. He had to check up on Sarah-Beth. He was already a full day late and he didn't want to have any problems with her…..or his new customer. He needed her healthy….very healthy.

Pauline saw him exit the front door and pulled the car out of the parking space. She rounded the turn and pulled right up to the curb to pick him up; just as he had ordered her to do. He reached for the door handle and yanked it open; not seeing a side door of the building swing open and a very large man step into the sunlight with one hand inside his jacket.

Roy had asked her everything he could think to ask her to keep her talking. Her arm didn't hurt. Her cheek did hurt a little and the entire right side of her face was purple and green. She wasn't going to go out in public until the discoloration was gone. It was more than make-up could hide. She still had a slight fever. She didn't sleep at all last night. He had tried to ask open ended questions in order to engage her in a conversation but she still wasn't offering much information. He desperately wanted to ask her who she was and why she was carrying around the identification of a dead woman but now wasn't the time. Those questions needed to be asked face to face so he could see her reaction. If he asked her straight up then she might just hang up the phone and be gone by the time Johnny got there. He looked at his watch. _Damn Gage, where are you?_

Gage held the brown paper bag containing orange juice, milk, saltine crackers and several varieties of condensed soup. He didn't know what she liked so he'd gotten several different kinds; surely he had picked out something she would eat. He set the bag down in the passenger's seat of his Rover and cranked it up. After adjusting the radio to the station he liked best, he pulled out of the parking lot and into the street. He was only a few blocks away now. _Please Roy, just keep her talking, partner…..I'm almost there._

__

Tim pushed hard on the door and it flew open. He found himself standing in the parking lot with his hand on his weapon…just as Jessup's head ducked into the rust colored sedan.

_Shit, shit, shit…._he thought to himself as he watched helplessly as Jessup's car pulled out of the parking lot and merged into the line of traffic. _He's the luckiest fucking bastard that ever walked the face of the earth, _he thought as he hung his head and looked around for something to punch or kick. Seeing nothing, he just stood there seething. He was mad at himself and mad at Wheeler for slowing him down. _Oh Mollie, I'm so sorry. I just can't seem to nail this son of a bitch. But I will. I promise you Mollie, if it's the last thing I do, I will make him pay for what he did to you. _He pulled out his pack cigarettes and pulled one out. He lit it and put his lighter back in his right front pants pocket. After a long drag he remembered his weapon and reached inside for his shoulder holster. Feeling the rubber grips, he moved his fingers over the familiar metal until he found the safety lever; and clicked it back into the locked position.

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John was sitting patiently at the traffic light mindlessly strumming his fingers on the steering wheel as he listened to The Four Seasons sing "December 1963: Oh What A Night". He was about to turn a corner that would make him face the bright sun so he looked down for his sunglasses. Coming down the street headed in the same direction that Gage was about to turn into, was a familiar rust colored sedan. The man in the passenger's seat was grinning like the proverbial cat that caught the canary while his left hand was resting high on the right thigh of his female driver. They were nearing an intersection when he looked down at her legs and began caressing her thigh while slowly pulling back the flimsy material higher and higher revealing more and more of her sexy long legs.

Neither Gage nor Jessup noticed as they passed each other.

Roy was running out of things to say and Sarah sounded closer to tears now than when she first called.

"Mr. DeSoto, I'm gettin' real sleepy." He could hear the slur in her speech and the drawl becoming more pronounced.

"Sarah, did you take something? Tell me what you took, sweetie" he pleaded.

"Just a couple of Jess's sleepin' pills he gave me. I's up all night and I'm so tired."

"Sarah, please just let me come over and we can talk. I really think you'd feel better if you get all of this off your chest. Saying things out loud really helps and…" He almost said that he wouldn't tell anyone but suddenly realized that he couldn't make such a promise to her.

In the back ground he heard a knock on her door and he heard her gasp. _It's about damn time, junior, _thought Roy.

"Uh, somebody's here, Mr. DeSoto."

He could hear the trembling in her voice.

"Sarah, just go look out and see who it is but don't hang up on me ok?"

"K" came the mousy response and he heard the shuffling noise of her getting up and heading for the door. She looked out the peep hole but only saw the back of someone's head. He had dark hair but that was all she could tell. Roy heard the click of the deadbolt being turned and the creak of the door handle. He heard the door squeaking as she pulled it open…..then he heard the crashing sound of the receiver hitting the floor. Whoever was at the door must have caught her by surprise and made her drop the phone.

"SARAH!" he heard himself screaming into the phone.


	9. Chapter 9

STOAAT13

Roy was in a state of sheer panic. He couldn't tell what was going on in her apartment but something was obviously wrong. She had dropped the phone as soon as she opened the door. "Sarah, are you there?"

He could hear movement and mumbling; and then someone picking up the phone. "Roy?"

The voice was Gage's and relief swept over Roy. He willed his heart rate to slow down as he took a couple of slow deep breaths. "What happened, Junior?"

"Looks like when she walked over to the door she accidently wrapped the phone cord around one of the barstools and it jerked the receiver out of her hand. Barstool fell over too. Are your ear's ringing? I'm sure that was really loud on your end." Johnny asked jokingly.

"Yea, kind of, listen she told me that she took a couple of sleeping pills and her words are getting a bit slurry. Now that you're there I'm on my way." Roy said.

"10-4" Johnny said reverting back to his paramedic lingo. He then turned to the girl who was leaning against a barstool with a faraway look in her eyes.

"Sarah?" he spoke softly as he replaced the handset onto the base of the phone and moved closer to her.

Jessup gave his driver directions to the old shed where Coleman was supposed to have left his newest girl. He knew she'd be weak and thirsty but surely she'd be alright in a few days. Yes, this was all going to work out just fine he thought to himself as he took his driver's hand and placed it on his own crotch. Her touch was arousing and they had a long drive ahead.

Tim Johnson was once again sitting at his desk staring at the file of the man he hated more than anything he could even imagine. His anger and frustration caused his hands to sweat leaving smudges along the front of the file. For the hundredth or so time, he opened the file again and from the beginning he began to read. He was reading through the second hand written statement from one of his previous victims when something jumped out at him. How had he missed it before now? He began to search through other statements in the file and he found a third statement with the same information written in it. Jessup drugged his victims, which was nothing new, but on at least three occasions he had gotten a copy of his victim's apartment key – probably while she was unconscious - thus, giving him access to her apartment any time he wanted it. That's why rape charges would never stick. There was never any evidence that the apartment had been broken into. Never anything taken or even moved around. He had simply let himself into the apartment and forced himself upon his victims. He made sure he befriended them first so that they would be thought of as friends or even lovers. The women always dropped the charges because he always convinced them that he'd be found innocent in court. He'd tell them that no jury would believe them because they were just sluts who 'changed their minds' after the deed was done and cried rape. He wasn't entirely wrong either as Tim Johnson knew well. He chose his victims carefully. They were not considered to be 'good' witnesses. They had a few misdemeanor charges, history of drug use and did not have a stable home life with multiple boyfriends, etc.. In short, they weren't credible. But he believed them and now he was almost panic-stricken for Sarah – or whoever she may be. He felt sure that Jessup had a key to her apartment too. He had to warn her and help her change her locks.

Roy had quickly explained to Johnny what little information he had gleaned from his conversation with Sarah; especially the fact that she had taken some sleeping pills. He then quickly grabbed a bottle of ipecac syrup from the bathroom and rushed out the door.

"Sarah, Sarah, show me the bottle you took the pills from?" Johnny pleaded with the girl.

"No bottle, just a ziplock….they were white," she said as her eyelids seemed to get heavier.

"Hey,…..stay with me here." Johnny raised his voice and shook her shoulders. "Sorry to do that to you, again but you gotta stay alert. How long ago did you take them?"

"Right before I called Mr. DeSoto," came the answer.

Johnny looked at his watch. It had to have been 25 minutes at least. There should still be time but the pills might already be entering her system.

"Ok look, I need for you to go to the bathroom and stick your finger down your throat until you vomit, ok?" He really wasn't asking but ordering.

"No…No…Wha…why?" she asked. "I only took two."

"Have you ever taken them before?" he asked in his most professional voice.

"A few times, yea" she answered.

"Have you ever taken 2 at a time?" he clarified.

"No but don't get so freaked out, a'right? It doesn' matter, nothin' matters," she said and he realized that the medication was beginning to take effect. Her drawl was becoming more prominent. But it was what she was saying that gave him reason to pause. She was talking like someone who didn't want to live. He and Roy had been on many calls where people had intentionally overdosed on something. She was sounding a lot like those individuals. He searched the apartment for something with caffeine in it; anything that would be a stimulant to her system. He found instant coffee and began to prepare her a cup. He was trying to basically force-feed her when there was a slight knock on the door as it opened up.

"Roy, thank God you're here. Listen, she took two of some kind of pill. No bottle so I don't know what they were. She just said they were white. It's been about 30 minutes by my best estimates." Johnny reported.

"I brought the fix" Roy said holding up the bottle of ipecac while walking over to her. "Come on, Sarah. Let's head to the bathroom."

"No, no…..leave me alone, please," she begged. "Just lemme go!"

Roy and Johnny exchanged glances but it was Johnny who finally spoke. "Fine, we'll just have to call the fire department and an ambulance or we can take you to Rampart ourselves now what will it be?"

He wasn't giving her a choice. They needed to act and they needed to act quickly. Roy opened up the brown bottle and held it out towards her. She shook her head slowly, "Please, just lemme go." Her words were slow and barely above a whisper.

"No" Roy said, "We aren't letting you go. We'll just wait for you to pass out and then we'll carry you to the hospital. Would you rather do it that way or this?" He asked once again holding out the bottle toward her.

She simply shook her head and reached for the bottle. He held it away from her and headed down the hall toward the bathroom with Johnny and Sarah behind him. Johnny had his arm around her and she was leaning into him trudging toward the bathroom.

Jessup guided his driver onto the dirt roads without hesitation. He knew these roads and trails like the back of his hand. They passed the camping spot where he'd dropped off Sarah-Beth and drove another ¼ mile to the trailhead.

"You just wait here, Pauline. I'll go get her." He then headed down the trail to the shack with his key in hand. He hoped she could walk because he really didn't feel like carrying her.

Once at the shack, he reached for the lock only to find that it hadn't been locked. "Stupid son of bitch! He didn't lock it!" He jerked open the door only to find it empty and cursed again. "Motherfucking son of a bitch!" He ran back to the car where Pauline was waiting. He jumped into the driver's seat and slammed the car in drive. He would find her. She would NOT get away from him like her sister did! He'd make sure of that!

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

Her stomach hurt while she continued to heave into the toilet. She hadn't eaten since yesterday so there wasn't much to come back up. She did see the two pills she took; looking fuzzy as what was left of them floated in the toilet. John was wiping her forehead with a cool damp cloth while Roy held her ponytail back out of the way. "That's it Sarah, just get it all up. It'll be over in just a minute and you'll feel better."

"No…" she tried to continue but a cough and subsequent gag interrupted her. "No, I won't ever feel better. Y'all don't understand so just leave me alone!" Her voice was rising and she felt like she was going to give in to the desire to start crying. She didn't have any resolve left. She heaved again but produced nothing. She was breathing fast and could feel sweat pouring down her face and back.

"Please go away now. You've done your job so just GO!" She was shouting now and her eyes were brimming with tears.

It was Roy who spoke up. "Is that what you think this is? Our job? You think you are a patient and we're just doing our jobs and getting paid to be here, huh?"

She was leaning back against the wall now. Her eyes were closed and Johnny had handed the damp cloth to her to wipe her mouth and face with. She didn't want to look up. She wanted these two men gone. She wanted to be left alone…..to try something else to make it all go away. Next time, she wouldn't make the mistake of calling anyone. No, next time she would succeed.

"Well, let me tell you something," Roy's face was red with anger. "You are not now nor have you ever been our job! You have no idea what Johnny went through trying to arrange to 'buy' you from Jessup. He didn't do it so he could spend his off days babysitting someone who doesn't give one iota about what he's done. He did it to catch Jessup and stop him from hurting you. He's hurt a lot of women and he needs to be put away." He was staring at her then waiting on a response. He didn't get one from her but he got one from his partner.

"Roy, don't be so hard on her. She didn't ask for any of this."

Roy glanced at Johnny and realized he was losing his cool. John was right. He needed to tone it down. He took a deep breath but he continued. "What would have happened if it had been anyone else besides Johnny who met Jessup that day, huh? Have you thought about that?" He didn't give her time to answer. He plunged on ahead. "You would have been raped that's what. Who knows, you might have been gang raped, beaten or even killed. Have you thought of that?" When he hesitated she took the opportunity to answer him. But neither he nor John was prepared for what they heard.

"I wish it had happened that way." She didn't look at either of them when she said it. She just pulled her knees up to her chest and laid her face into the cloth she was holding.

Both men looked at each other with total shock on their faces. John was the one who spoke this time.  
>"You wished that Roy and I had hurt you like that?"<p>

She gave an audible sigh but responded with "at least it would all be over."

"At least what would all be over?" asked Roy sincerely trying to figure out what she was thinking.

"This life, this game I've been playing, this whole fuckin' …LIE!" and she began to sob deep throaty gut-wrenching sobs. She held the cloth up to her face with one hand and wrapped her casted arm around her shins.

Roy sat back leaning against her tub in stunned silence. He reached to place a soothing hand on her shoulder as John looked on trying to decide exactly what he should do. She didn't recoil at Roy's touch. Not this time. No, she took a swing at him with her casted arm. She hit her mark as he jerked his head back in response to the pain. Johnny instinctively grabbed her shoulders in an effort to calm her down – as he'd done plenty of times before. She kicked; she wrestled; she squirmed; she punched and she never felt the pain as her body thrashed about making contact with the toilet, cabinet, tub and the two men who were trying desperately to hold her down to keep her from causing further harm to herself. She wiggled away from them and made it out to the hallway still kicking and punching. She felt hands holding on to her; forcing her down onto her back in the hallway. Someone was sitting on her straddling her while holding her wrists out beside her head. More hands were holding onto her legs. She tried with all her might to kick him away but still he held on. She tried to wriggle out from under the man who was sitting on her midsection but couldn't bend her knees enough to dig in her heels and try to throw him off. She couldn't raise her arms or wrists. She resisted, she tried to fight but found no weaknesses to exploit in her captors. She was having difficulty breathing now; gasping for air while continuing to strain and push with every muscle in her body. She was fighting off Jess; fighting off her uncle when he'd been drunk and became physically violent with her; fighting off the aneurysm that had stolen her sister far too young; and fighting off Hurricane Camille as her waves washed over her parents and grandmother drowning them with her vile and dark churning water. She had no idea how long this wrestling match lasted but finally, she could fight no more. She had nothing left. With all her energy spent she relaxed her muscles beneath the strong arms and weight of the two men. She was still gasping for air and trying to regain her normal breathing as the tears poured from her eyes. Lying on the cold floor of her hallway; unable to move or to resist; she cried out "Sarah-Beth, …..please help me."

Johnny was the one straddling her and holding her arms. He wasn't trying to harm her or cause her fear. No, he was only trying to keep her from hurting herself. He could feel Roy doing the same thing holding on to her legs and leaning most of his weight on her. She had drawn blood from Roy's lip but Roy didn't mind. They were making progress with her. He was sure of it.

"Where is Sarah-Beth?" asked Johnny. He was hoping her wall of self-preservation was crumbling and that she'd allow someone – even if it wasn't his partner and himself – but someone to reach her.

She was crying harder when she answered, "Biloxi….cemetery ….she's gone."

"Was she your friend?" He continued after she successfully answered his first question.

"My sister…my big sister" she sobbed again. He could feel her beginning to squirm beneath his weight but he couldn't let her up yet. The situation was still too volatile and he could feel Roy continuing to shift as she began to try to move her legs around.  
>Johnny knew it was now or never so he pressed on. "What's your name then?" he asked using the same voice he'd used with his previous questions.<p>

"Maggie" came the sob-chocked answer.

Johnny heard Roy behind him whispering….."age, full name, get what you can from her". He decided to forge ahead.

"Maggie is short for Margaret right? Is your name Margaret Mooring?"

No, Magnolia, Magnolia Mooring."

"That's a beautiful name, Maggie. How old are you?"

"Four…..fourteen" she said in between sobs.

Roy and John were in total disbelief. They both slowly released their grips on her making sure the fight was over. It was; she had no energy left. Johnny eased himself off her midsection and turned to look at Roy. He noticed some blood in the corner of Roy's mouth and assumed this was the result of his face colliding with a cast. Neither said a word for a moment. They just stared at the young girl who was now curled up in a fetal position; her entire body racked by sobs.

Johnny was the first to move toward her taking the crying girl into his arms and carrying her to her bed. Roy looked briefly in the bathroom mirror making sure his lip wasn't still bleeding. He then picked up another wash cloth and wet it before taking it to Johnny. Johnny was sitting on the edge of the couch; Maggie turned with her back to him but still in a fetal position. He took the cloth and began to wipe her face with it while rubbing her back in soothing circular motions saying "cry it all out Maggie, just get it all out."

"Johnny, we need to call this in. She needs medical care." Roy offered; concerned that his partner would again hesitate seeking medical care for her. He didn't need to be worried. Johnny shook his head and looked up at Roy with his own eyes watery. "Call the station ok Roy? Better call the cops too. If what she said is true, she's a dependent child so law enforcement will have to assume custody of her."

Tim grabbed his jacket and headed out the door. He had to get to Sarah's apartment and warn her that Jessup would likely show up there unannounced…..and that he likely had a key. The drive didn't take long but his heart sank when he drove up and saw that Squad 51, an ambulance and a patrol car were in front of her building. His fears were realized when the elevator doors opened to the fourth floor revealing Roy and Johnny standing at the doorway of Sarah's apartment. Johnny was holding an IV bag while Roy looked like he'd lost the first round of a boxing match. Looking down at the patient on the gurney he realized that it was Sarah…or whatever her name was. He looked up just as Roy saw him and Roy gave Johnny a knowing grin. "I'll fill him in while you ride in with her, junior."

Johnny gave a slight nod and mouthed the word "Thanks" to his senior partner as he and two other paramedics from Station 51 exited the hallway on their way to Rampart.

Karl Jessup dropped off Pauline at her place then sped quickly towards the apartment with her key still in his pocket. He didn't know if she'd returned to her apartment or not but he knew that she'd eventually return. She had nowhere else to go. He'd be waiting on her there. He'd take care of business this time. He'd make her his own. "Naive little cunt" he snickered to himself as he drove south on the 405.

Roy headed out the door of the apartment complex headed to Rampart. Tim and a uniformed officer were still there talking and promised to lock up. Roy was concerned about John and Maggie both so he needed to get on over to Rampart as soon as he could. As he sat down in the driver's seat of his vehicle, he looked at his lip in the rearview mirror. There was still a spot of blood in the corner but at least he wasn't going to need stitches…..or a dentist. He returned the mirror to its original position and that's when he saw it. The familiar rust colored sedan he'd seen at the camp site had pulled into the parking space behind him. He watched as an angry man in his late 30's got out and walked swiftly into the building.


	10. Chapter 10

STOAAT14

Tim and the officer with him in her apartment were finishing up their discussion while standing at her bar when they heard the rapping sound of an angry fist. Tim motioned for the officer to draw his weapon but keep quiet. He didn't need to look out the peep hole to confirm the knocker's identity. He grabbed a barstool and scraped it across the kitchen floor; making sure Jessup heard it.

"I know you can hear me, you little bitch!" came the harsh words from the other side of the door.

"Open this door or I'm coming in." He said argumentatively.

Tim walked slowly and quietly to the door; making sure he'd be hidden once the door was opened. The officer leaned forward on the bar in an effort to shield most of his body. His gun was aimed at the door waiting for the threatening man to give him a reason to pull the trigger. Tim heard the key enter the lock and the click as the door knob turned. He also heard the double clicking slide as the officer fed a bullet from the magazine into the chamber; the same bullet he was prepared to send straight into the chest of one Karl Jessup. 

Jessup opened the door with a charge, never seeing the officer poised with the intruder in his sights. But the officer never had a chance to pull the trigger. Tim Johnson cold-cocked Karl Jessup; laid him out flat with one solid left hook. Standing over the motionless body of Jessup he began to mirandize him…"you have the right to remain silent – I'll tell you the rest when you wake up you worthless, low-life piece of shit!"

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

In treatment room 4 at Rampart, Dr. Brackett and Dr. Morton were closely studying the x-rays of the girl they now knew as Maggie. She had sustained heavy bruising in multiple places on her body but the only fracture – in addition to her already casted left wrist – was her left little toe. It wasn't the newest broken bone that had the doctors concerned; it was the old fractures. Her x-rays showed a history of abuse dating back several years, including a couple of cracked ribs and fractures of both ulnas.

"Defensive wounds?" ask Dr. Morton.

"That's my guess, Mike, but without a history, it's hard to know for sure," came Dr. Brackett's response. "Looks like both ribs were cracked at the same time but the right ulna fracture appears older than the left. The fractures are consistent with someone holding up her arms trying to block a blow to the head. Mike, what are the chances of three different injuries like this occurring in a young teenage girl at different times and all of them accidental?"

"Slim to none" said Dr. Morton with his arms folded over his chest.

Dr. Brackett looked over at his young patient who was now resting, albeit fitfully, now that she had some antianxiety medication on board. She'd have to be monitored very closely due to her age and previous partial ingestion of unknown tranquilizers. He inhaled deeply before walking over to Maggie….and her entourage. Roy, Johnny and Dixie were standing vigil at her bedside watching her vital signs and the fast drip of her IV.

"What did the pictures tell you, Doc?" asked Johnny.

"Well, looking at her growth plates, I have to agree that she appears to be 14 or 15 years old. We only x-rayed a small section of her wrist before so we didn't pick-up the recent rapid bone growth. She also has some old injuries, fellows." Dr. Brackett gave a questioning look to his two paramedics. "Did she say anything to clue us in on how she got those?"

"No, Doc, she really hasn't told us anything," came John's response.

"Well, do you really think she was trying to kill herself?" Brackett asked while placing a hand on her forehead.

Roy gave the question some serious thought before he answered. "Doc I don't think she wanted to die…I just don't think she wanted to keep on living. Does that make sense?"

"Yea, Roy…..it makes perfect sense" and with that Kel gave Dix the orders needed to move her to ICU for at least the next 24 hours.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

John Gage was pacing the hallway outside the courtroom. He knew he was ready to testify. He looked at Tim who seemed to be sweating bullets. He knew that Tim's mind was on Mollie and that a part of him wished that Jessup had been charged in her death. But his primary concern was sitting across from him with her social worker and her court advocate.

Maggie was sitting on her hands trying to stop them from trembling. She needed to go to the bathroom but she wasn't sure if it was to urinate or vomit. Melissa, her court advocate, had spent hours with her explaining every detail of what to expect during her time in the courtroom. She taught her to hold her left hand in a fist so that it would be easier to remember to hold up her right hand to be sworn in. She taught her to pay close attention to the way the lawyer worded the questions so that she answered ONLY the questions asked so as not to accidently say more than was necessary. They had practiced with Melissa asking her very personal and embarrassing questions to help her be ready when the defense attorney asked them. She also had practiced methods for reducing tension and stress so that Maggie stayed in control while on the stand. Right now though, she just wanted to get it over with.

Jessup's arrest was definitely one of the best days of Tim Johnson's career but as he sat outside the courtroom five months later he began to have doubts. Had he done everything by the book? Was there anything Jessup's attorney could use to have this case thrown out on a technicality? If he was honest with himself he'd have to admit that a small part of him wished this trial was for Mollie instead of Maggie. He had never told anyone that he knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that Karl Jessup was not only responsible for Mollie's ultimate demise; Karl Jessup was the man who had killed her. Several months after Mollie's death he had been contacted by one of Jessup's "ladies" saying that she had actually witnessed Jessup kill Mollie. The details were especially gruesome but he sat and listened to every gory detail vowing to see to it that Jessup paid the price for what he'd done. According to the prostitute, Jessup was at the house popping pills of some kind. She didn't know what they were but she said they made him crazy. He started tearing up the house; punching holes in the walls and throwing things. He got a very wild look in his eyes and walked over to where Mollie was sleeping on her bed. He pulled her off the bed by her hair and shoved her head against the wall. The force caused a cut above her right eye but he wasn't finished with her. She was naked and poised on her hands and knees with her face against the wall beside her bed. Jessup kneeled down behind her forcing her to spread her legs far enough apart that he could easily maneuver between them. He then thrust himself violently inside of her. She moaned in pain at the suddenness of his entry but she dared not scream. She too was high and in no condition to resist him. He grabbed a handful of her hair and began slamming her head against the wall with the same rhythm he was using with his hips. As his thrusts became faster and harder, so did the pounding sound of her head being bashed into the wooded slats of the wall. At some point during the attack, she lost consciousness and her knees collapsed but he continued his relentless assault on her body. With a final thrust he climaxed with a loud groan and brought her head crashing onto the cement floor. He lay on top of her for several moments trying to catch his breath while the life literally drained from her body leaving a pool of blood on the floor. Mollie did die from blunt force trauma but that was all Tim ever told anyone. Even John Gage didn't know all the truth. Since Jessup was never charged everyone just assumed that another man had committed the crime. The prostitute who had relayed this story to him had said that she was too afraid to intervene at the time but that she was willing to testify against Jessup if he was arrested. Within a week, she was dead – either she jumped, fell or was thrown from an overpass – killing her instantly. Jessup was never charged with Mollie's death or the death of that young prostitute.

Tim inhaled deeply pulling himself back to the present day and the testimony he was about to give. Could he do it without losing control of his emotions? Yes, he had too – for Maggie's sake. The bailiff came to the door at that moment and called Tim Johnson to the witness stand.

After Tim's testimony was given, John's name was called. He gave Maggie a slight smile and turned to enter the courtroom. Maggie would be the last witness. This had been a deliberate move on the part of the District Attorney. He wanted her testimony to leave a lasting impression on the jury.

Finally, her name was called and she stood, her trembling legs carrying her slowly but steadily up to the witness stand. The District Attorney was very good at his job; especially with young witnesses. His tone was soft and he placed himself strategically between his young frightened witness and her abuser. He wanted her to be able to tell her story without having to see Jessup's face or feel the heat of his sneering glare while she told strangers the intimate details of her life. Her cross-examination would not be as comfortable.

When the District Attorney finished, he gave her a warm knowing smile; the nonverbal equivalent of an "atta girl". Then she felt the heat rising up in her chest turning her neck and face red. The defense attorney rose and walked arrogantly towards her. He did exactly what Melissa said he would do. He stood directly between her and the District Attorney blocking her from seeing him. Several times during her cross-examination he pointed at Jessup asking her to look at him. She was one step ahead of him though, looking over Jessup's head to the fire extinguisher on the back wall. The appearance was that she was looking at Jessup when in fact, she was visualizing the Fire Station where her new friends Mr. Gage and Mr. DeSoto worked. The defense attorney tried to make her look like a runaway and the biggest liar ever. Yes, she had lied about her age. Yes, she had lied about her name. Yes, she had knowingly consumed alcohol even though she was only 14 years old. Yes, she had taken prescription drugs that were not prescribed for her. Yes, Mr. Jessup had spent the night in her apartment on multiple occasions and she never filed any charges against him. Never during this barrage of questions was she given the opportunity to explain her reasons for these actions. By the time she was excused from the courtroom she felt like she was going to collapse. She once again felt beaten, abused, harassed and used by Jessup but she also felt the self-loathing thoughts returning; intruding into the depths of her soul. She again felt worthless and dirty. She wanted to cry but the one thing she didn't want to happen was for Jessup to see that he had gotten the best of her again.

The District Attorney praised her for her excellent testimony. _That was good? How can a lying, drug using, alcohol abusing slut be a good thing_ she wondered. "I was watching the jury while you were testifying, Maggie. They weren't buying the things Jessup's lawyer was saying. In fact, I think it made them angry that he did that to you" was his response.

He was right too. Two days later the jury came back with a decision: guilty on all counts. Tim couldn't help but offer up a "Thank you, God" as he heard the verdict read. He was also there for the sentencing the following month. Karl Jessup would be spending at least 27 years in prison for a plethora of charges; not the least of which involved several crimes against a child. Tim just smiled to himself; he knew how child abusers were treated by other inmates. Even hardened criminals have their limits of what they are willing to tolerate among their own.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Tim sat down at his desk and noticed the report from the medical examiner sitting on top of the stack of mail that had been building up since he left on his vacation. He knew what it contained and he had mixed feelings about opening it. It could wait a few more minutes. He reached inside the small brown sack and retrieved the small starfish shell he'd purchased at a souvenir shop in Huntington Beach. Turning it over to find a smooth spot, he took out a black felt tip pen and wrote: _MAGGIE 1974_.

She had survived a brush with the biggest monster Tim had ever had to deal with during his career. He placed the starfish on the book shelf behind his desk. Hers was number eight and he hoped he'd be able to add more soon.

Over the last several months Maggie had started making tremendous progress. She was opening up to her counselor and was winning the war against her demons during her therapy sessions. One of her biggest fears was being in the Foster Care system but even that fear was dissipating. She was now residing in a group home for girls. It wasn't ideal but foster homes were limited and teenagers were the most difficult age group to place in a home setting. He knew that but he still had a slight pang of regret for her. She was a good kid who deserved to have a family to surround her and support her. He couldn't dwell on the things he couldn't change.

He then opened up the envelope from the medical examiner's office and began reading the autopsy report.

Name of Decedent: Karl Robert Jessup

Date of Death: December 28, 1974

Cause of Death: Pulmonary Aspiration

Manner of Death: Homicide

The narrative read like a horror movie script; one that Tim Johnson couldn't have penned in a more satisfying manner himself. Jessup was found face down and naked behind several trash cans near the mess hall of the prison where he was serving his time. His boxer shorts had been stuffed inside his mouth with so much force that all the material had fit inside it and he had been unable to spit it out. He was restrained by force and brutally sodomized by an unknown number of assailants. The aftermath of the rape left a mixture of blood, feces and semen on his buttocks, backs of his thighs and pooled on the floor between his legs. During the assault, he had vomited and being unable to spit out the vomitus had choked on the remnants of his last meal. His attackers had left him lying with the trash – naked and exposed for all to see. As was almost always the case in a prison assault – there were no witnesses.

He folded the report and placed it back in the envelope. He needed to go spend a few moments with a certain nursing student who needed to know that her killer would never hurt another young woman. Then he had to meet Johnny. They were going over to the Girl's Home. Today was going to be a big day for Maggie and she needed their support. He also had to pick up a gift that he, John and the DeSotos had decided to buy for her. He couldn't wait to see the look on her face later on this afternoon.

He picked up a bouquet of red and yellow roses; the same flowers he would have purchased for her on her graduation day. He walked across the cemetery to the familiar grave. Laying the bouquet on top of the gravestone, he touched his lips with two fingers and then touched those same fingers to the stone. The only way he could now give his sister a loving peck on the cheek. " Karma caught up with him Mollie ….and he got what was coming to him. I love you, sis." Then he turned and walked back to his gray bronco. He had to make one more stop before picking up Gage.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Eva Robinson, Maggie's Foster Care Social Worker, glanced over at the nervous teenager sitting on her bed at the Girl's Home. Over the last several months she had grown quite fond of the girl. She was however a teenager and she could be very stubborn and difficult at times.

"What if I don't like them?" asked Maggie as she stood in front of the dresser she shared with her roommates brushing her hair back into a tight ponytail.

"Maggie, there's no pressure on you, ok? If you don't like them then you don't have to stay with them but I think you'll find that they are a very pleasant couple." Eva was trying to be encouraging but her patience was growing thin.

"They're just a couple of old geezers aren't they?" she asked again.

"Maggie, I've told you before, they are not elderly. They are a nice young couple with a couple of kids of their own," Eva explained.

"Oh, great….they are just looking for a permanent babysitter for their little snot-nosed brats." Maggie complained. Her hair was perfect but she continued to brush the ponytail with a nervous fierceness.

"No, they aren't looking for a babysitter…..Maggie they just want to give you a home. Why can't you accept that for what it is?" asked Eva. She regretted the statement as soon as she had said it. She knew why Maggie was stalling and why she was worried.

"Oohhh, I get it. You said they were young and they had kids. I guess the wife doesn't have time for her husband anymore right? He talked her into this because he's going to want me to give him blow….."

"Magnolia Ann Mooring!" Eva raised her voice interrupting the damaging thought processes of her young charge. "That is not fair and I won't let you act like this!"

Maggie was stunned and tears began to sting her eyes threatening to spill onto her already hot cheeks.

"I know that you are scared, Maggie. You are afraid that you might actually like these folks and that scares the daylights out of you."

"Does not….." came Maggie's sniffling response.

"Yes, ….it does ….and that is completely normal, Maggie." Eva walked over and stood behind Maggie; looking at her in the mirror. "You know that if you begin to tear down that wall you've built around your heart and let someone get close to you that you might get hurt." Eva could feel the girl's breathing rate increase and knew that she was right. "Maggie, if you never let anyone get close to you again then no, no one will ever hurt you….but you'll never feel the joys that those close relationships can bring." Her voice was much softer now and she watched as Maggie gave her a simple nod in agreement.

"Maggie, just give them a weekend. It will be your choice but these folks have been through several interviews, psychological evaluations, physical evaluations and LOTS of training in order to be approved to be foster parents. They know about your past…..they even know about your nightmares that still happen sometimes…..and they just want the chance to be there for you…..please give them this weekend and I won't ask you to give them more than that." Eva hoped she had persuaded her.

"K" was all Maggie could say….but it was enough.

"Now Maggie, there are a couple of visitors waiting for you downstairs. They want to spend a few minutes with you before we leave, alright?"

Maggie reached for her duffle bag and draped the long handle across her body. She looked at Eva and turned toward the door and huffing as she headed down the stairs.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Johnny and Tim were waiting in the visitation room when the door slowly opened. Maggie peeked in before entering. She wasn't sure who would be waiting in there for her. Johnny and Tim gave her smiles and hugs. They were so happy for her. She was standing on the verge of a new life with a foster family…if she would just agree to it. Johnny held out his hand towards her. In it, he held a small box wrapped in floral wrapping paper and a purple bow.

"For me?" she asked. "I don't understand," Maggie said.

"Maggie, you act like Tim and I don't know what today is?" he grinned his crooked smile and then announced "Happy 15th."

Maggie was shocked. She didn't realize that anyone knew that January 12th was her birthday. She couldn't hide the huge smile that spread across her face and Johnny and Tim shared in her joy by adding their own smiles to the already happy scene. She untied the ribbon and peeled off the paper revealing a small black box. Opening it up, she gasped.

"Oh wow…..it's beautiful" she exclaimed as she gently caressed the gold necklace with the starfish pendent. Tim cleared his throat and began to tell the story of the Starfish Thrower. When he finished, Maggie looked up with a big grin on her face. "I'm your starfish, right?" she asked.

"Maggie, you are indeed…..you are my number 8 starfish" he announced and slapping Johnny on the shoulder. "Thanks, partner" he said to Johnny. Johnny smiled and tried to hide a blush.

"Oh my, Maggie…I almost forgot to give you this." Eva reached inside her purse and pulled out a square envelope. "Your new foster parents asked me to give this to you to read before we get there."

"Now?" She asked Eva. "I'm visiting with Mr. Gage and Mr. Johnson" she protested.

Johnny and Tim agreed to wait for a few minutes while she read her card.

_Some sappy "we're gonna save you" card_, she thought. She opened the envelope and pulled out the small card. It had a cute beach umbrella on the front and she couldn't help but notice the small starfish in the sand. She opened the card and found that it was not a preprinted card. It was a blank card that was now filled with beautiful cursive handwriting.

_Dear Maggie;_

_You have inspired us more than you could ever imagine. You have faced so many challenges and endured so many losses – more than any teenage girl should ever endure. There is no way that we can ever restore to you all that you have lost. Your parents, grandmother and sister all loved you so much and no one and nothing can ever take their place. But if you are willing to give us a chance, we'd like for you to come and live with us. We'd love to give you another home and another family to cherish and love you the way that you deserve to be cherished and loved. We are not perfect parents and we've never parented a teenager before. We have two young children who will no doubt aggravate you terribly at times. We are not wealthy and we don't have a big home. But if you will accept us with all of our flaws, we'd love to have you become a part of our family. We will not pressure you for a decision and there will be no hard feelings if you choose not to stay with us. Just know that we are here for you today and always,_

_Roy and Joanne DeSoto_

Johnny watched as Maggie read the card. Her lower lip began to quiver and he knew that Joanne's words were wrapping themselves around her heart. He had to turn to his side and fake a cough so he could wipe away the moisture that was beginning to pool in the corners of his eyes. He looked up at Eva who was standing in the open doorway and gave her a knowing wink. She smiled back just as Maggie read the names at the bottom of the card. Her chin began to tremble and she looked up through teary eyes at Johnny, Tim and Eva.

"Is this real? Do they really mean it?" She was crying now but they were tears of joy.

"We'll take that as a yes" she heard a man's voice say and looked up to see Roy and Joanne standing beside Eva; Roy's arm wrapped lovingly around Joanne's waist.

Maggie opened her mouth to try to say 'thank you' but found she was speechless. She and the DeSotos closed the distance between them and hugged each other. No one had dry eyes at that moment and in no time the six of them were all embracing each other. This was not a 'good-bye' visit after all. It was the beginning of her 15th year and the beginning of the rest of her life.

"Let's go home, Maggie" Joanne said.

"Wait, I want to wear my necklace….home" she smiled. Joanne helped her with the clasp before giving her a slight sideways squeeze.

"Now, you can call me Uncle Johnny instead of Mr. Gage alright?" Johnny joked, bringing laughter to all of the misty-eyes in the room. As they exited the visitation room and headed to their waiting cars, Tim looked up and imagined that Mollie was somehow looking down and smiling her approval. Maggie had been given a new lease on life ….and Tim had been given a reason to keep saving them…..one at a time.


End file.
